Yes, you read correctly! This is a recipe for baguettes. And they are gluten free!
When you had to go gluten free, did you ever think that you’d never again have the pleasure of biting into a fresh, crusty baguette?
I know I did!! And it made me sad!!
But I’m pleased to tell you we were wrong. It is entirely possible to bake delicious, crusty gluten free baguettes! And when I make them, all my children want to eat some, even those who can eat gluten 🙂
The hardest thing with this recipe is finding a baguette mould. I tried very hard to find one here in Switzerland, but I couldn’t. I finally found one completely by chance in Clas Ohlson in England. Nowadays, the easiest is to just order one on Amazon. Click this link to order the one I use.
These baguettes freeze very well, so I usually make a batch and keep some in my freezer. Once thawed, I put them in the oven for a few minutes, just to make them perfectly crusty again.
So… here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
Makes six small baguettes
- 350 ml water (not too cold)
- 7 g dried yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 20 g olive oil
- 300 g gluten free flour – I use Schär’s bread mix B
- 50 g buckwheat flour
- 5 g salt
- 5 g psyllium husk powder
Method:
- Place the water and dried yeast in a big bowl.
- Sprinkle the sugar on the mix and let it rest for ten minutes to activate the yeast.
- Add the olive oil, flours, salt and psyllium powder and mix well.
- Let the dough rise – if possible in a warm and humid place. It usually takes about an hour to rise properly.
- Place a piece of non-stick baking paper on the baguette mould.
- When the dough is risen, make six small baguettes or three big ones, and place them on the baguette mould.
Quick note
Gluten free bread is always tricky, because it’s sticky. You can’t knead it and make it into beautiful shapes like you could if you were using wheat flour. So it takes a bit of patience and practice.
Some people flour their hands with gluten free flour; I prefer to wet my hands. I know it sounds crazy, but it works! Whatever way works for you is fine, just know that this step is tricky, and don’t expect perfection. I always make six small baguettes, as the dough is easier to work on in small quantities.
- Let the baguettes rise again for about 30 minutes in the baguette mould.
- Heat your oven at 220°C and bake for 25 minutes.
Optional:
- If you have a conventional oven, lightly brush your baguettes with a little olive oil just before baking. This makes them even crustier and shinier.
- If, like me, you are the lucky owner of a combined steam oven, select the “hot air and steam” cooking mode. It bakes them to perfection and there is no need to brush them with oil:-)
This is what they look like inside:
And this is my baguette mould… lined and unlined:
Here is a link to the baguette tray I use:
FAQ
1. Do I HAVE to make these gluten free baguettes with Schär Mix B?
You can use other flour mixes, such as my favourite, Doves Farm gluten free bread flour… BUT for this recipe, Schär Mix B works best, because it contains a lot of starch and helps the baguettes hold. The result is baguettes that are crisp on the outside and soft inside.
2. How do I get a crispy crust on gluten free baguettes?
As I wrote above, there are several ways to make your baguettes crispy on the outside. Brush them lightly with olive oil, or bake them with steam. If you have a steam oven, use the “hot air and steam mode”; if you have a conventional oven, you can place a bowl of hot water in the oven next to – or under – your baguette tray. All these methods help create a classic crispy crust.
3. Can I replace buckwheat flour in this recipe?
Yes, you can swap buckwheat for gluten free oat flour or rice flour, though flavour and colour will change slightly.