Adapted from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day
Keep a supply of this gluten-free all-purpose flour mixture in the pantry. With a batch of this master boule dough in the fridge, you can enjoy fresh bread every day. Just takes five minutes of your time.
Whisk and mix the ingredients in a 5 to 6-quart lidded container. Finish by picking up the container and vigorously shaking until the flours are completely blended.
The ingredients must be very well mixed, otherwise the xanthan gum or psyllium will not be evenly distributed and your loaves will be inconsistent.
*** If you choose to use psyllium husk powder instead of xanthan gum, do not store the prepared dough for longer than five days.
In a 5 to 6-quart bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
On baking day: pull off a 3/4-pound (large orange-size) piece of dough, then place it on a pizza peel prepared with plenty of cornmeal or parchment paper. Using your flour-dusted hands, gently press the dough into a log or cylinder with slightly tapered ends. Use wet fingers to smooth the surface. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 40 minutes loosely covered with plastic wrap or under a roomy overturned bowl. The dough will not look as though it has risen much after the 60 minutes — this is normal.
While the dough is resting, preheat a baking stone or baking steel near the middle of your oven set at 450ºF for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, preheat a lidded cast-iron saute pan or Dutch oven for 45 minutes at 450ºF. If you are using the stone or steel, place an empty metal broiler tray for holding water on the shelf below the stone or steel.
Brush the top of the baguette(s) with egg white wash or water. With a wet serrated bread knife, slash with diagonal cuts at about 1/2 inch deep.
Shimmy the baguette(s) onto the preheated stone. Quickly and carefully pour 1 cup of hot water from the tap into the metal broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake for a total of about 40 to 45 minutes, or until richly browned and firm. Alternatively, use the piece of parchment paper as handles and carefully lower the dough-topped parchment paper into the preheated pot. Cover and place in the oven. No need for a steam bath with the lidded pot. If you are using the preheated vessel, remove the lid after 30 minutes, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer uncovered or until the crust is richly browned.
Depending on the cast-iron vessel to be used, more than one baguette can be baked in a single batch. Measure the diameter of the vessel and shape the baguettes accordingly. The cast-iron lidded saute pan used here is 12-inches in diameter. Each mini baguette measured about 10-inches in length allowing for 3 loaves to be baked at once.