Gluten-Free in Five Minutes (5 page)

Baked in:
1-cup ramekin or other straight-sided microwave-safe bowl

1. Preheat griddle to 350°F or heat frying pan over medium heat.

2. Lightly coat griddle or pan with nonstick cooking spray (away from flame if using gas stove).

3. Slice Applesauce Bread horizontally into 3 round discs. Set aside.

4. Combine eggs, milk, and vanilla extract in shallow bowl and mix well.

5. Dip bread slices into egg mixture and coat well on both sides. You may have a little excess egg mixture.

6. Place slices onto heated griddle or pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and cooked through.

7. Serve with syrup or jam as desired.

Baked on:
microwave-safe dinner plate

1. In 2-cup microwave-safe bowl or cup, microwave water on high for 1½ minutes, or until boiling.

2. Crack egg into boiling water and microwave on high for 1 minute. If you prefer egg firmer in texture, microwave on high for an additional 10 to 15 seconds.

3. Carefully remove poached egg and discard any frothy bits.

Note:
In traditionally poached eggs, a little vinegar is often added to the water before poaching. I have tested making poached eggs in the microwave both with and without the vinegar with no noticeable difference.

CHAPTER 3

Breads

Every bread in this chapter is delicious.
I had nontesters “testing” recipe after recipe, seeking to eat more of this bread or that bread. These breads can be made incredibly quickly—and they are just plain good!

Figuring out how to make fabulous (yes, I said
fabulous
!) breads and rolls in the microwave was difficult at first. It comes down to food science.

For those of you who are already bakers, you know that egg whites are drying. Egg yolks add richness. And, while I’m not forgetting that oil adds softness and applesauce adds structure (and
moisture), the most important factor in gluten-free/microwave context is the egg yolk. Using only egg whites (as in my full-size bread recipes) does not give the structure or texture or even the appropriate “dryness” needed in these recipes. But, when I decided to stop thinking and go with my gut instinct to use the entire egg, formulations began to fall into place. Gluten-free food science has evolved dramatically over the last twenty years, yet we are just scratching the surface of using whole grains well. And treating foods differently when they are microwaved is a perfect example of this!

Probably the most difficult part of making these bread recipes is locating a microwave-safe square dish. After much searching, I found a heavy glass storage container by Glasslock with a “locking” lid. Its base is just a bit smaller than a traditional slice of bread and works perfectly for these recipes. I have located these containers in a number of kitchen supply stores and at
amazon.com
. You can use a round 2-cup Pyrex dish, but the square slices are really nice.