The Fluffiest Focaccia! (Dairy-Free too!)

If any of you are like me(and I imagine most of you are) being gluten-free can be a challenge at times. Don't get me wrong I appreciate the fact that I don't feel like someone punched me in the stomach after eating a piece of bread anymore, but lets face it I miss the texture of wheat bread. That soft, squishy texture that only wheat bread can provide is one of the last things that I have had a hard time recreating to the point that I don't want to "cheat." Over the past four years I have tried and failed so many times it's gotten to the point where I was starting to believe that maybe all the gluten-free bread companies just had me beat. However, the other day my perspective on gluten-free bread from scratch totally changed. I had the strangest "aha!" moment the other day though. I was thinking to myself why had I never tried to use whipped egg whites in bread in order to build that structure that is found in wheat bread(Like gluten, egg whites build structure by trapping air in the baking bread.) So I figured what the heck, after many failed attempts I might as well give it another go(I think it's been about a year since I have tried making gf bread). You know what? I am very glad that I can sit here and say that I conquered gluten-free bread! This is the BEST gluten-free bread I have ever had in four years and is the closest to the texture of wheat bread that I have come across(dairy free too!)

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! :)

 

xoxo,
Megan

Ingredients

Dry

~ 2 cups white rice flour 

~ 1/2 cup potato starch 

~1/2 tapioca starch 

~1/3 cup cornstarch 

~1 Tablespoon xanthan gum

~ 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

~ 3 Tablespoons sugar 

~ 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast 

~ garlic powder(optional) 

~ dried parsley(optional) 

Wet 

~ 4 egg whites

~ 4 Tablespoons olive oil 

~ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

~ 1 1/4 cups warm water 

Directions 

1. Preheat your oven to 400 °F. In a bowl of a stand mixer put the active dry yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let the yeast proof for about 5-10 minutes(or until it looks very bubbly. 

2.In a stainless steel or copper bowl(I recommend a copper bowl for this step, although you don't have to have it-it does help the egg whites become even fluffier), put the egg whites along with a pinch of cream of tarter(use GFCF cream of tarter). Beat the egg whites until they are at a soft peaks. Set aside. 

Egg whites at the "soft peak" step

3.Now that the yeast has proofed, add the olive oil, the apple cider vinegar until just combined. 

4.  On a piece of wax paper(saves dishes!) put the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, cornstarch, xanthan gum, and salt. After the flour mixture is in the stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start slowly on the first setting and work your way up to the highest setting. Whip the mixture for about 3-5 min until creamy and all the flour is incorporated. Turn off the mixer and add the egg whites. Then turn the mixer back on to incorporate the egg whites(just until they are combined though because you don't want to loss all that air that we have built up). 

5. In a warm place in your kitchen(put a towel over the bowl to trap even more heat), let the mixture rise until the dough has risen about a quarter more than its original size(about 30 min). Next, place the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and let rise once again for another 30 min. NOTE: Make sure that you spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray, otherwise your dough will stick. 
6. Sprinkle focaccia with garlic powder and dried parsley if desired. Bake focaccia for about 15-20 min or until light golden brown depending on your oven. Drizzle some more olive oil on the bread when its still warm. Enjoy! NOTE: This bread is amazing when served warm, however it is still great the next day if you warm it up in a pan or the microwave for a few seconds. Not a lot of gluten-free bread hold up their texture without becoming grainy(and this one DOES!)