Gluten Free Challah-style Bread

Looking for different bread recipes to convert to gluten free and try out, I came across Challah bread. Looking through the ingredients it wasn’t much different from the recipe on the back of the gluten free bread flour bag, but that comes out a bit like cake – and I want something more akin to actual bread.
Challah bread is Jewish, and when not made in a bread maker, like mine was, generally plaited. It is traditionally eaten on the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays, with the exception of Passover. Challah is also called ‘egg bread’ as some of the recipes use a large amount of eggs.
Apparently there are as many Challah recipes as there are Jewish cooks - and varying ethnic traditions call for variations in the recipes.
I’d quite like to try the one where the top is brushed with beaten egg and then sprinkled with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. I have been told that this is supposed to represent the manna sent from Heaven to the Israelites as they wandered in the desert.

Tip: This bread is quite sweet. Reduce the amount of sugar for a more savoury loaf, or increase slightly for a sweeter loaf – and add dried fruit if desired.

Did you know that … on the Sabbath, the bread becomes a symbol of holiness?



Gluten Free Challah-style Bread

175 ml (6 fl oz) semi skimmed milk
2 large eggs
450g (14 oz) gluten free bread flour
3 tbsp caster – or granulated – sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp or 1 packet dried yeast
6 tbsp olive oil

This makes a small loaf. Use the 450g setting on your bread maker.
Mix milk, eggs and oil in a bowl, then transfer to bread maker. Add flour, salt and sugar, then sprinkle yeast on top. Start machine. After a few minutes, open the lid and with a spatula, loosen the ingredients from the sides of the tin. Close lid and leave until the end of the program.
As gluten free bread dough tend to be a little sticky, using a bread maker is easier than using your hands, making the bread the traditional way. Personally I wouldn’t be able to do all the kneading required anyway – and the bread tastes as good out of the machine.