Looking for a gluten free artisan bread recipe? This easy no knead feta and olive bread is the perfect gluten free artisan bread for everyone! A delicious gluten free boulle perfect for picnics or dunking in soup. Makes one large, 9-inch diameter loaf (approx 16 slices) and can be frozen.
Measure out the warm water into a jug - it should be at around 40'C (which should feel like skin temperature if you dip your finger in). Stir the sugar into the warm water and until dissolved, then add the yeast and stir again. Leave in a warm spot for 5-10 minutes for the yeast to activate. It should form a lovely froth on top when it's ready.
Add the gluten free bread flour, xanthan gum and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir to mix together.
In a separate mug or bowl, add the eggs, oil and vinegar and lightly whisk to combine.
Once the yeast/water mixture is active (frothy), add it to the flour along with the egg/oil mixture. Using a wooden spoon, beat the mixture together vigorously to combine it into a thick, sticky dough. When the mixture is smooth with no lumps of flour, stir in the olives and feta until evenly distributed.
Dust the bread bowl with the rice flour (see blog post above for tips) until coated evenly and then pour in the bread dough. Smooth it out using wet hands and then loosely cover the tin with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm spot to prove for around 40-60 minutes. You want the dough to be lovely and risen and puffy.
When the dough has nearly finished proving, place a tray of hot water in the bottom of the oven and your skillet/cast iron pan on a shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 200'C / Fan 180'C / Gas Mark 6 with both the water and the pan in the oven so they get nice and hot.
When ready to bake, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Place a piece of baking paper on a plate or chopping board and turn the bread out of the bowl onto this. Carefully lift the paper with the dough on into the skillet. Score the top with a sharp knife or razor - a simple cross or criss-cross pattern is fine!
Working quickly so as not to lose too much steam, place the bread in the oven and close the door. Bake for 55-60 minutes until it is risen and golden - DO NOT open the door for at least the first 20 minutes, otherwise you'll lose all the steam! After this, if the top of loaf starts to catch then place some foil over it. You'll know the bread is done if you tip it out of the tin and tap on each surface - it should sound hard and hollow.
Leave the loaf to cool in the tin on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it. It's important to give it this time to rest - you want WARM bread, not hot!
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Notes
This gluten free bread is best eaten on the day of baking. It can also be sliced and frozen once cool. If eating the next day or after, I'd recommend either lightly toasting or flick a few drops of water onto a slice and refresh in a warm oven for five minutes.
If you do not have rice flour for dusting the banneton you can use plain gluten free flour or some extra bread flour which will work just fine.