Many people around the world avoid gluten either out of necessity or choice. Tens of millions of people suffer from a severe autoimmune disorder called celiac disease, which is exacerbated by the consumption of gluten. Avid dieters might avoid gluten if they are following a diet regimen that disallows wheat products. Others find that they do not digest gluten very well, so they avoid it as much as possible.
Making your own gluten-free bread is something you might want to look into if you’re one of the people described above. What many people who can’t consume gluten don’t know is that there are several bread machines with settings specifically for making gluten-free bread. Of course, you’ll want to get the best bread machine possible to start making your bread, so read on to learn about several different bread machines. Then you’ll be able to decide which one is right for you.
Why Do I Need Bread Machine With a Gluten-Free Setting?
The reason you need a bread machine with a setting for gluten-free bread is that gluten-free bread dough lacks the elasticity of regular bread dough. As such, gluten-free dough has to be mixed much more than normal. The machines with a gluten-free option are designed to do this automatically, thus ensuring the dough is mixed thoroughly.
Different machines come with different variations of this option, so be sure to learn the details of each before purchasing. Some may even have several options programmed into the machine for specific types of gluten-free bread dough.
Isn’t Gluten Free Bread Hard to Make?
Not at all! You don’t have to be an experienced baker to make good gluten-free bread. There are simple recipes online with the beginner in mind. You should be able to find them using your search engine easily.
There are even entire communities on the internet dedicated solely to gluten-free living. A quick web search should produce an enormous number of such forums. Join one or more of them, and you’ll be able to find many people who are helpful.
How Do I Clean My Gluten Free Bread Machine?
To properly clean your bread machine, first, make sure it is off and unplugged. Let it cool completely if you’ve just finished using it. Brush the flour and crumbs out of each part of the machine with a soft bristle brush. Under no circumstances should you use water to clean the inside of your bread machine, as it can destroy it.
Next, you’ll want to remove any bits and pieces of dough that may be left in the machine. Do this by allowing the dough to dry before attempting to remove completely. This will make it very easy for the pieces to come off the interior of the machine.
As for the dough hook and bread pan, use a dish rag with warm water and dish soap to clean them. Most bread pans have very high-quality non-stick coatings, but gluten-free bread tends to be very sticky. As such, the pan and hook may need to be soaked in warm water for as needed before cleaning. After that simply allow them to air dry.
Is There Anything Else I Should Know?
When making gluten-free bread, make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature before mixing. A warm environment is necessary for yeast to grow, so cold ingredients like eggs need to be taken out of the refrigerator an hour or two beforehand.
Always measure your dry ingredients by weight. This is because dry ingredients can become compacted in their containers, which in turn throws the measurements off when measuring by volume. For example, one cup tightly compressed flour will weigh a lot more than flour that is lightly packed. Just get a good digital kitchen scale to remedy this.
How Long Do These Machines Last?
That depends mainly on the specific make and model you bought, and how well you take care of it. But generally speaking, you can expect your bread machine to last several years even if you are using it frequently.
Making your own gluten-free bread will help you tremendously if you have celiac disease, or do not tolerate gluten well. There are countless recipes online to choose from, so you’ll never get bored. Most of all, you’ll need to find a high-quality gluten-free bread machine to use. There are plenty of options out there, but listed below are some of the best.
