Gluten-Free Steamed Apricot Bread
Submitted by garlic
Gluten-free steamed bread with oats, rice flour, amaranth, dried apricots, and ground almonds. A dense, moist loaf sweetened with molasses and cooked on the stovetop without an oven.
YIELD
1 loafPREP
40 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsNo oven? No gluten? No problem. This bread steams in a covered pot on the stovetop for two hours, producing a dense, moist loaf with a texture closer to Boston brown bread than a typical sandwich loaf.
The flour blend is clever: rolled oats, brown rice flour, and amaranth flour each bring different textures and nutrients. Ground almonds blended with water create a rich, creamy liquid base that adds protein and a subtle nutty sweetness without any dairy.
Dried apricots get a rough chop in the blender (not a puree), leaving chewy, fruity pieces scattered throughout the bread. Molasses ties everything together with deep, earthy sweetness.
Chef Tips
- Don’t peek during the two-hour steaming. Every time you lift the lid, you lose steam and heat, which can leave the center underdone.
- Make sure the boiling water comes only halfway up the mold, not higher. Water getting inside the mold will make the bread soggy.
- A 1-quart mold or a clean 1-pound can both work. Oil the inside well so the bread releases cleanly.
- Cool in the mold for a full 15 minutes before unmolding. Too soon and the bread collapses.
Variations
- Swap amaranth flour for soy flour, buckwheat flour, or ground sunflower seeds as the recipe suggests.
- Use honey instead of molasses for a lighter, more delicate sweetness.
- Replace rice flour with rice polish and rice bran for a higher-fiber version.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the oats, rice flour, amaranth flour and baking soda.
Grind the almonds to a fine powder in a blender.
Gradually add enough water to bring the level up to 1 cup.
With the machine running, add the molasses or honey and almond extract.
Add the apricots and process with a few on/off turns to chop them; do not puree.
Pour the liquid mixture into the flour bowl.
Stir to mix. Turn out into an oiled 1 qt. mold or 1 lb can. Cover with a square of wax paper or foil (shiny side down); tie wax paper securely with a piece of string.
Place the mold on a wire rack in a Dutch oven or large stockpot.
Add enough boiling wate to the pot to come halfway up the sides of the mold.
Cover the pot tightly, and steam the bread over med-low heat for 2 hours Do not remove the cover during the cooking time.
Remove the mold from the pot.
Cool the bread in the mold for 15 min, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For best results, slice with a serrated knife.
Variations: Replace the rice flour with ⅓ cup rice polish and ⅓ cup rice bran.
You can also replace the amaranth flour with either ¼ cup soy flour, ¼ cup white buckwheat flour or ¼ cup ground sunflower seeds.
Comments
