Grain Free ~ Garlic & Kalamata Olive Bread

It isn’t surprising to me that there are 90 verses in the bible discussing bread in one way or another. Bread in the bible functions as a social bond. The giving of bread to another person is a major element of hospitality and serves as a sign of respect and concern.

We’re told to go eat our bread with Joy. And we all know the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus is even referred to as the “bread of God who gives life to the world”. What’s my point?

Well, not to make light of 90 verses in the bible of course, but bread is a big deal. It was important then and it’s important now for all kinds of reasons both biblical and otherwise. And it’s especially important to those of us who are gluten and grain free!

In fact, bread was one of the first things I set out to tackle when I started baking with gluten free ingredients. Gluten free was a challenge for sure, but baking grain free bread that resembles bread and tastes like “real” bread, consists of small miracles. It is not easy.

I think I have finally created a couple of go-to grain free, dairy free bread recipes that are extremely pleasing to me. Now I can enjoy buns, crusty bread, french bread, garlic bread, french toast, toast, and cinnamon rolls just as much as the next guy. That’s important to me and from what I hear from other people, it’s important to them too.

Bread is comfort. It’s filling, it smells fabulous, it feels amazing, it can be combined with absolutely mouth-watering delicious, ingredients.

A few baguettes, goat cheeses, roasted garlic, and wine and you have the perfect cozy, social gathering. It’s the staple food of life. No one should ever have to go without bread.

Many of us remember our mothers or grandmothers houses being filled with the smells of bread baking. Or walking down the street in a city on a cold day being led by our noses to a local bakery.

Fresh rolls on the Thanksgiving dinner table. Fresh bread with a steaming bowl of soup… Bread smells like home. We need that in this hustle bustle world! Our families need to come home to a house full of comforting smells that they’ll remember for a lifetime. Smells that stir up deep, heartfelt memories long after we’re gone.

Please don’t give up on being able to experience that. People panic when they’re told they can’t eat gluten and dairy. I hear that it’s too hard, too expensive, too irritating, it’s not fair, they don’t know how, they can’t bake…. don’t cheat yourself because you’re maybe a little bit overwhelmed or uneasy about starting something new.

I have so many memories of people I love that are attached to food. There’s no way I’m willing to give up those traditions and the fabulous smells and reminders of my life with those people simply because of food allergies.

And you shouldn’t either.

You DO have it in you to bake, and cook, and build fabulous smelling memories. Start small and work your way up one loaf or roll or baguette at a time.

I believe in you!

Grain Free Dairy Free ~ Garlic & Kalamata Olive Boule

2/3 Cup Arrowroot

1 Cup Sweet Potato Flour

3/4 Cup Coconut Flour

4 teaspoons Xanthan

4 teaspoons Double Acting Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

3 Tablespoons Active Yeast

2 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar

1/3 Cup Warm Water

6 Eggs, Separated

3 Tablespoons Grass Fed Gelatin

1/2 Cup Cool Water

3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Cup Kalamata Olives, sliced lengthwise in half

1 WHOLE Head of Garlic, cloves peeled and sliced

2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano

1 Tablespoon Dried Rosemary, crushed

#1.  Place a piece of parchment (enough to go up the sides) into a large bowl and set aside. Slice olives and peel and slice garlic cloves.

#2.  Measure all dry ingredients except  the yeast, sugar, and gelatin into a medium bowl and whisk. Set aside.

#3.  Separate eggs, placing whites in the a mixer bowl. Beat to stiff peak.

#4.  Measure the 1/3 cup warm water and add the yeast and sugar and stir until combined. Set aside.

#5. Measure 1/2 cup cool water (in a glass measuring cup or ramekin) and add the gelatin, stirring quickly to combine. Microwave for 40 seconds. Set aside.

#6.  Measure the apple cider vinegar and olive oil into the egg whites. Add the yeast mixture to the egg whites. Turn mixer on low and very slowly drizzle the gelatin mixture into the egg white mixture.

#7. Keeping the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined (or you’ll have a dust cloud). Then, mix on medium high for 2 minutes.

#8.  Add the sliced olives, sliced garlic, oregano and rosemary, mix on medium to combine thoroughly.

#9. Scoop dough into the bowl with the parchment and lightly shape the dough into a round ball with wet hands. Do not pat down!

#10.  Place the Dutch oven (lid on- remove knob if plastic) on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. While the oven is preheating, place the dough bowl on top of the oven and loosely cover with a kitchen towel.

#11.  When oven is preheated VERY CAREFULLY remove the lid and grab the bread dough by the corners of the paper and set it into the VERY hot Dutch oven. Replace the lid. Bake for 20 minutes.

#12.  After 20 minutes, remove the lid (set somewhere safe!), turn the oven down to 450 degrees and continue baking for 15 more minutes.

Remove bread from Dutch Oven and cool on wire rack . ***Allow the Dutch Oven to cool inside the oven or somewhere safe like inside the sink.

(Notes: I checked my bread halfway into the 2nd  half of the baking and felt it was getting dark quickly so molded a piece of foil over the bread for the last half of baking time. You may have noticed my loaf has a split down the middle. That is because I sliced a cross in the dough prior to baking. I didn’t have you do that in the recipe instructions because I think it causes the loaf to fall a bit. Next time I won’t cross the top. I also did not do an egg wash because I was fearful that because the oven was so  hot, it would burn the top of the bread.)