Gluten-free Soft Sandwich Bread

2 cups Deb's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix
1 cup of Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free All-Purpose Flour Mix or similar
2 tsp xanthan gum (this is in addition to the xanthan gum in the flour mix)
4 tsp baking powder (reduce or omit if baking at high altitude)
1 tsp sea salt
3 tablespoons light brown organic sugar
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm but not hot (about 95 degrees F/35 degrees C) milk
2 teaspoons vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 extra-large eggs (about 1/2 cup/120 ml), room temperature
extra olive oil and tapioca flour for the pan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C/Gas Mark 5.  Oil and flour a 9 in by 5 in by 3 in loaf pan (standard US loaf pan).  I use a silicone or glass pan.

Place warm milk into a small bowl.  Whisk in 1 tablespoon of sugar until dissolved.  Whisk in yeast until dissolved.  Set aside to proof (about 5-10 minutes until foamy).

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and the remaing 2 tablespoons sugar.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place eggs, olive oil, and vinegar.  Beat for a few seconds to combine.  Add the yeast mixture.  Beat a few seconds more to combine.  Add the flour mixture.  Beat on medium high for 3 minutes.  (This is important to develop the gum strands - for texture in the bread.)

Scrape mixture into your prepared loaf pan (it should be a very thick batter) and smooth the top.  Place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until about half again its size in bulk (not quite double)–about 30 to 40 minutes at sea level.  Basically, you want it to look a bit puffed up.  On top of the stove while the oven is preheating allows the oven’s warmth to help the bread rise.  It should only rise to the top or a bit above the top of the pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes under a tent of foil.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Then carefully turn out onto rack to cool completely.  The bread is doing its last bit of baking during the cooling process, so don’t cut into it until it has cooled completely.  If you do, the bread might be gummy inside.