Challah

So a few days ago my roommate and I decided to make challah. It turned out great and was a lot of fun. It also got me thinking about whether or not it would be possible to make a decent GF vegan challah. I found a recipe online, modified it, and gave it a try:

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill)

1 3/4 cups tapioca flour

1/3 cup honey

2 teaspoons sugar

3 teaspoons xantham gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup lukewarm water

3/4 cup lukewarm water

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast (if you are not using quick-rise yeast, make sure to let your yeast mixture sit for about f minutes until foamy)

4 tablespoons melted earth balance

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

6 teaspoons egg replacer mixed with 8 tablespoons of water

1. In a large bowl or mixer, combine the flours, xantham gum, and salt.

2. Dissolve the 2 tsp. sugar in 2/3 cup lukewarm water. Mix in the yeast. In a separate bowl, combine the butter with the additional 3/4 cup water, vinegar, and honey (if you first grease the 1/3 cup measure with some melted earth balance, the honey will come out easier).

3. Blend the dry ingredients. Slowly add the butter/water/honey/vinegar mixture. Blend in the combined egg replacer and water, in four parts. The dough should feel slightly warm. Pour the yeast mixture into the ingredients and beat for 2 minutes.

4. Place the bowl in a warm spot (I like to put it on top of the pre-heating oven) covered with greased plastic wrap and a towel (or a lid) and let rise for about 1 hour.

5. Uncover the dough and beat it for 1 minute. Spoon it into a greased, floured loaf pan (I like using Pam then using rice flour). It should only be filled 2/3 full. Put the remaining dough in greased and floured muffin tins. Let the dough rise for another 45-60 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 380 F and bake the loaf for about 50 minutes. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes.

The 'normal' (not GF or vegan challah)

The significantly less attractive GF vegan challah

It tastes pretty similar to how I remember challah tasting, and even smells like it. The problem I have with it though is the same problem I have with a lot of GF breads: it's dense and spongy, not at all the way challah should be. Next time I make it, I think I'll try lowering the amount of tapioca flour and xantham gum... although it'll be pretty hard to make a light and airy GF challah : )