Does any one have a good recipe for making French bread? Some thing that could be cooked on a cookie sheet. It seems as though all the bread doughs I have ever seen are not real think like a gluten dough would be. There for would run all over the pan I would think.

Thank you,
Grump

I make Bette Hagman's Rapid-Rise French bread from "More From the Gluten-Free Gourmet" and it's good, especially hot out of the oven or as a base for french bread pizza, but you're right, the batter can be a little thin. Instead of a cookie sheet I use a baguette pan, and instead of rolling the kneaded dough into a loaf like with wheat bread, you don't knead gluten-free bread, you just spoon glops of it onto the pan in a line. If you don't have a baguette pan, I would suggest using foil to create half-pipes on the cookie sheet to help the dough keep its shape, otherwise it might just spread out on the pan and not give you that long thin shape.

I use this recipe from recipezaar.com. I bake it on a cookie sheet and it holds up great, although the dough is sticky.

http://www.recipezaar.com/180306

Hey Grump - This is a good French Bread recipe. It does require either regular bread pans or a dual French Bread pan that can be purchased at a kitchen store. The French Bread pan makes a real difference in the finished product, so I encourage you to find one. The results are worth it!

Also, g-f bread mixes are not thick like regular bread mixes. You do not, and in fact could not knead them. They must be mixed with a heavy duty mixer. Hand mixers will not work. If the bread mix just settles back down in the bowl when you stop the mixer, you probably need to add 1/4 cup more g-f flour or an extra egg. It may take a few "tries" to get really good results, so hand in there. Hope this works for you.

Note: If you are totally frustrated try Kinnikinnick bagels or their Italian white sandwich bread. They are pretty tasty.

Gluten-Free Flour Mix
6 cups brown rice flour
2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour

Gluten-Free French Bread* 12/16/07
4 ¼ - 4 ½ cups Gluten Free flour mix
3 teaspoons Xanthan gum
1 – 2 teaspoons salt depending on taste preferences

3 cups luke-warm water
3 teaspoons dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 eggs

Grease 2 French bread pans. You may also use regular bread pans with slightly different results.

Sift flour, xanthan gum, salt. Set aside.
Pour 3 cups lukewarm water to mixing bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Let sit for a few minutes to proof.

Add eggs and vinegar and mix at very slow speed.

Add about 1/3rd of the sifted flour mix and blend for a minute or two. Add remaining flour and blend thoroughly, about 2 – 3 minutes. Batter should “string” away from sides of the mixing bowl. Spoon evenly into bread pans.

Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until bread dough has increased in size by about 1/3rd. Bake at 400 degrees for one hour. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15 more minutes.

Bread cannot be cut until cool. It will keep several days, but the crust will get softer with time.

I recommend using a heavy duty Kitchen-Aid mixer.

Kathe

Thank you all. I have the recipes and will go looking for French bread pans again next payday.

Thank you again,
Grump

I made the Bette Hagman's french bread last week & it turned out quite good. AND, I baked it on a cookie sheet (my trick was that I "piped" it onto the sheet through a hole cut in the corner of a plastic bag). After that it remained shaped just fine (it wasn't quite as soft a dough as some of the gluten-free breads, though).