Bread on a grain free diet? Is that even possible? Yes, it is possible! I have tried to make different kinds of grain free bread before – The sweet potato dinner rolls that I have made before are the closest to bread that I have had in a long time! And they are pretty good! I am not tempted to eat bread too much having been on Paleo/AIP now for a few years.
A few weeks back though I decided to make a gluten free focaccia for my family and while I was making that, I was tempted to try and make an AIP version for myself! I made this recipe by ‘Mama Knows Gluten free’ for the gluten free focaccia and drawing inspiration from that recipe, I tried to create an AIP version. As luck would have it, I also had just received a package of Beth blend’s grain free flour blend as I was participating in their ‘Bake off’ contest. I thought what a perfect recipe to try the blend! And I am so glad I did! The focaccia came out perfectly!
Since grain free blends don’t have gluten for binding, I decided to use sweet potato for providing the binding. A few of Beth blend’s recipes also use yam or sweet potato. I also used yeast for fermenting the bread and to really get that bread flavor. Letting the dough sit in a warm place like a warm oven for 30 minutes helps the dough to rise and that’s when you get the best results with this recipe!
What are the main ingredients in this bread?
- Beth Blends’ Grain Free Flour Blend (it consists of cassava flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Dry Active Yeast – Yes, dry active yeast is AIP compliant!
- White Sweet potato – You can use regular sweet potato or yams too.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Avocado Oil can also be used
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic Powder
A word of caution!:
On storing this bread, you may notice green spots develop but do not worry the green spots are not mold or fungus! The green spots are just a chemical reaction happening due to the flavonoids (colored substances) in the sweet potato mixing with the baking soda. You can check out this article which also talks about the same reaction which happens while baking sweet potato bread. So do not get worried if you see those green spots! They are certainly not mold! Also, I notice the green spots only when there are lumps of sweet potato that are not blended properly with the flour so make sure to mash the sweet potato thoroughly.
OK Without further ado, here’s the recipe for this delicious savory bread! I also made a video tutorial for it! Check it out below!
- 2 tsp dry active yeast
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- ½ cup warm water (should be around 90-100 F)
- 2½ cups Beth Blend Grain Free Flour Blend (The red and white package with cassava, tapioca and coconut flours)
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup mashed white sweet potato (or regular sweet potato is ok too)
- 1¼ cups coconut milk
- 1 tsp Apple Cider vinegar
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning (make sure it is AIP compliant)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- additional extra virgin olive oil / avocado oil - about 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- In a small bowl or a coffee cup, add the warm water, dry yeast and the maple syrup. stir using a spoon and cover the cup with a lid. Keep aside for 5 minutes until it turns frothy.
- Meanwhile, take a large mixing bowl and add the flour blend, sea salt and the mashed sweet potato. Mix using a spoon to mix the sweet potato well with the flour. Then add the coconut milk, the vinegar, the oil and the yeast mixture. Mix with your hands to form a doughy mixture (it will be quite sticky). Let this dough sit in a warm place (or you can place inside a warm oven. You can start your oven at the lowest temperature setting around 170 F and when it reaches around 100F, turn it off. Then place the dough inside it)
- Take the dough outside after 30 minutes. It should have risen slightly. Now turn the oven on and pre-heat to 350 F.
- Take a small sheet pan (around 8 by 11 inches). Brush with oil. Then dump the dough onto it and press using your fingers to spread the dough on the pan. The dough will be around ¾ inch thick. Add the additional extra virgin olive oil / avocado oil on top of the dough and then sprinkle the seasoning and garlic powder on top.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 350 F for around 18-20 minutes until the base is golden and slightly toasted and top is cooked through. (Ovens vary so keep checking after 15 mins)
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes in the pan. Cut into 2 inch squares and serve with the dip.
- Mix all ingredients in a small dipping bowl and stir well.
I tried making this today and there was way too much liquid. I had to add another 2 to 3 cups of flour blend to make this even remotely resemble dough.
Hmm…did your mashed sweet potato have a lot of liquid? That’s the only thing I can think of that would have caused you to get a liquid dough?
No it didn’t. I used Beth blends cassava free flour instead of their one with cassava. I wonder if that was the problem. Might be good to specify.
I have mentioned above in my post which blend I use along with the link to it. The recipe does not allow me to add a link but I have edited it now to clarify. My video also mentions clearly which one to use. I hope you can try with the correct blend.
Question: How is yeast AIP compliant if it’s cross reactive to gluten?