Cinnamon & Raisin Bread

For various health reasons, I've gone gluten free this year (or some days I'm just "low" gluten).  It's been easier than I thought it would be, and I've noticed some of the health benefits almost immediately, but I do like eating bread and have found gluten free versions a little lacking for one reason or another.  

It seems you pay a lot of money in the supermarket for what appears to be a tiny, dried out loaf which falls apart in the toaster!  The gluten is the "glue" which gives "proper" bread it's bouncy texture and which binds it together.  However, there are good gluten free alternatives and they tend to be when you bake your own.  So this year one of my challenges is to come up with some good (ie. taste good and have a decent texture) gluten free bread and cake recipes.

While in the States I came across Bob's Red Mill baking ingredients  http://www.bobsredmill.com/  A great selection of products available in local stores if you live in the States and a few products available in the UK if you buy online or at selected health food stores. The website is inspirational and worth checking out.

Ok, so I cheated a little and have tried out a couple of bread mixes rather than starting from scratch - but you have to have a standard to work towards.  One of the mixes I tried was the Cinnamon Raisin Bread Mix which is a good breakfast bread, either spread with butter as it is, toasted or even made into French toast.

The mix made a large sized loaf and I was able to cut it into slices and freeze some for later.  

half of the loaf made (the other half stored in the freezer)

Gluten free loaves often rely on the addition of eggs as these help to hold the dough/finished bread together and they do give the bread an almost cake-like texture. As we keep chickens, there is never a shortage of eggs in our house!

Bob's Red Mill products are available in the UK, but as they are imported from the US, they are a little pricey so would be an occasional treat.  However, Bob's website and products are inspirational and so will help me in my quest to produce decent gluten free baked products here in the UK