This gluten-free artisan bread recipe is easily made at home in a Dutch oven and tastes rustic and INCREDIBLE! This recipe includes no gluten, dairy or eggs.
In a small bowl, combine yeast, psyllium husk and warm water. Mix together and set aside to activate the yeast.
In a large bowl (preferably the bowl attached to your standing mixer), combine rice flour, tapioca starch, oat flour, potato starch, sugar and salt. Whisk together.
Set the dial for your standing mixture to mix on low-medium and slowly add yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add olive oil and continue mixing ingredients on medium speed for another minute.
Lightly flour a countertop or flat surface with rice flour and add your bread dough. Knead the dough for 1 minute to add air to the mixture (remember, you don't need to knead it to develop the gluten since there is no gluten). Form the dough into a round shape by folding the dough under itself, then place the rounded dough into a lightly floured bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and place it in a warm place to rise or proof in your oven.
Allow the bread to rise for at least 2 hours (if rising in a warm place) or 4 hours (if your house is cold). The dough will bulk up but not quite double in size. Please see notes below to troubleshoot the rise.
Add your Dutch oven to your oven and set the temperature to 425º F. Allow your Dutch oven to heat up and get hot. Do NOT add an empty Dutch oven to a heated oven. See notes below.
Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from your oven using oven mitts and place it on a heat-protected surface. Use a spatula to loosen the sides of the dough from the bowl and then gently flip it upside down to allow the dough to roll out of the bowl and into your hot Dutch oven. Be very careful not to touch the hot Dutch oven. Score the top of the dough by cutting shallow lines on top in decorative patterns of choice.
Cover the Dutch oven with its tight-fitting lid and place it in your oven to bake for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for 15 minutes. (See Alternative instruction below)
Alternative Instruction: After the initial 35 minutes in the oven, remove the cover, brush top of the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and thyme. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered.
Remove Dutch oven from oven and allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes before handling. The bread is best served warmed and the day it's made so plan accordingly. Store leftover bread in a sealed container and heat in your oven or 30-60 seconds in your microwave before enjoying.
Video
Notes
Flour Substitutes:
You can use white rice flour instead of brown rice flour.
You can use buckwheat flour instead of oat flour.
Check labels for "Gluten Free":
Always check labels to ensure your oat flour - and all ingredients - are gluten free.
Measure by weight vs volume:
Always measure flours by weight when baking artisan bread. Invest in a kitchen scale. You will use it time and time again.
Troubleshooting the rise:
Be sure to use fresh or unexpired yeast. Old yeast will deter a proper rise.
The dough will rise best in a warm environment. Use a warming mat or proof the dough in your oven for best results. If your house is cold, allow the dough to rise for 4+ hours until it nearly doubles in size.
Dutch Oven heating:
Please note some Dutch oven manufacturers warn against heating an empty Dutch oven as it may crack. I recommend adding the Dutch oven to your cold oven and then preheating the oven and Dutch oven simultaneously. There is a risk your Dutch oven will crack. I have not had any issues but am aware of the risk (and you are now too).