Hi! I’m back! I hope this post finds you and yours well and enjoying the holiday season. Life just kind of took over after the publication of my second book (Gluten-Free Wish List: Sweet and Savory Treats You’ve Missed the Most) and I stopped blogging for a few years. My daughter (Girlfriend) somehow grew up and is now in college (I know!). And I had a bunch of health issues and family issues that took up my time.
I am now feeling like things are smoothing out and I have some new projects that I hope to be able to share in the next few months. While I’m working on those, I thought I’d share a new recipe with you!
A couple of months ago, one of my readers, Glenda, asked if I would adapt her family’s favorite Dilly Bread to gluten-free. It sounded intriguing, so I said I would.
I did some research and it turns out that it is an 1960 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest winner. The original name is “Dilly Casserole Bread,” because the recipe called for it to be baked in a round casserole dish. As you know, I adore these old recipes that become family favorites. And it was fun to do the recipe testing for this bread—D’Ahub always loves when I am in recipe-testing mode because he gets to eat the test results.
This recipe creates a full-flavored yeasted loaf that is terrific as a side for soup or salad, as well as on its own toasted with a bit of butter (this is how I eat it). I imagine that it would be great as a sandwich bread as well—I can see it doing well with a turkey and cheese sandwich!
A few notes on what I did:
The original recipe calls for it to be baked in a round casserole dish. I don’t have a casserole dish that fits the parameters of this recipe, so I adapted it to fit into a 1 pound loaf pan (454 g) which is 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inch (21.59 x 11.43 x 6.99 cm). As a side note, I highly recommend using this size pan for many of your gluten-free loaf bread needs. I will do a post on loaf pans at some point to explain my experiences and my current recommendations.
I found that each different container of cottage cheese I got for testing had varying amounts of whey (liquid) around the curds. This affected the recipe results, so I found it important to drain off most of the whey before measuring the cottage cheese so that it isn’t soupy. It doesn’t have to be bone dry, just not really soupy.
Also, dill seed has a different and more intense flavor profile than dill weed—be sure you use dill seed rather than dill weed. And don’t be put off by how fragrant the dill seed is when you measure it. I found it to be a bit overwhelming while measuring, but it mellows once baked into the bread and gives it a delightful flavor. Also, note that recipe calls for minced dried onion—not onion powder.
Finally, as with the bread recipes in my cookbooks, I highly recommend getting an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature inside your breads. Most gluten-free bread should read 205 degrees F (96 degrees C) or higher inside when done.
Dilly Cottage Cheese Bread, Gluten-Free
Gluten-free yeasted loaf bread with dill and cottage cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (325 g) Jeanne’s Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour mix (see Recipes tab for mix recipe)
- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (in addition to what’s in the flour mix)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon aluminum-free double-acting baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 2 teaspoons dill seed (not dill weed)
- 1 tablespoon fast-acting or bread machine yeast (I like Red Star Quick Rise)
- 1 tablespoon butter, soft room temperature
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 1 cup (237 ml) cottage cheese, (drained a bit if there is a lot of liquid) room temperature
- 2/3 cup (156 ml) water, room temperature
- Oil for brushing and greasing pan (I use olive oil)
- Tapioca flour for dusting pan
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, use a spoon to mix together flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, salt, minced onion, dill seed, and yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place butter, eggs, cottage cheese, and water. Use a fork to whisk together until blended.
- Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Place bowl in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Turn mixer on low and mix until the dry and wet ingredients are blended. Turn speed up to medium high and mix for 4 minutes. Stop mixer and use an oiled rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the dough once or twice.
- Turn out dough into a large oiled bowl, brush top with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Place covered bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 hour. I use the inside of my oven as a rising space. I make it a bit warm before I put the bowl in by preheating the oven at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) for 20 seconds and then turn off.
- While the dough is rising, grease with oil and flour with tapioca flour a 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 in (21.59 x 11.43 x 6.99 cm) loaf pan (sometimes called a 1 pound Loaf Pan).
- After the dough has risen for 1 hour, it should be noticeably puffed up. Uncover and gently tip dough into prepared loaf pan. Using an oiled rubber spatula, delicately coax the edges of the bread to the sides of the pan. You want to be careful not to squish down the rising that it has done. Brush top with oil. Lightly cover with plastic wrap while preheating the oven.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (176 degrees C) for half an hour. Since it takes my old oven a fairly long time to get to the correct temperature, I use this time for additional rising. I preheat the oven for a good half an hour—which allows the bread to rise some more in the pan. Also, I set the pan on top of the stove to take advantage of the heat from the preheating oven. Don’t let the dough rise more than about 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) above pan.
- After half an hour, uncover the dough and bake for about 45 minutes or until the inside of the bread reaches at least 205 degrees F (96 degrees C) when tested with an instant read thermometer. I find that the bread turns a medium dark brown on the top with little darker spots on it where the cheese curds are. If it starts burning on the top, cover with aluminum foil.
- Remove from oven and place pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, carefully run a knife along the inside edge of the loaf and carefully turn it out onto the cooling rack. I use an old trick I learned years ago to let it cool on one long side for about 20 minutes and then switch it so it’s laying on the other long side for another 20 minutes. Then set it upright. This helps the bread not settle down and get squished-looking.
- Cool bread completely before slicing. It is doing the last bit of baking while cooling and if you cut it too early, it will be very gummy inside. That said, it will be a bit moist inside due to the cottage cheese.
- Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. I usually store it on the counter on my bread board with the cut side down. Do not refrigerate. Bread may be wrapped well and frozen for up to 6 months. Tip: slice the bread before wrapping and freezing so you can take out a slice at a time, if desired.
If you want to use different ingredients or equipment:
I tested the recipe with the ingredients and equipment included in the recipe. If you want/need to use different ingredients or a different pan, please be aware that your results will vary (and I can’t really predict how each difference will affect the recipe). As always, if you want to change things–go ahead and experiment and see how it goes (and let me know if you get a chance)! Finally, if you make substitutions, please use volume measurements—contrary to what some others say, my and my recipe testers’ experience has shown that using weight to measure for substitute ingredients doesn’t work well.
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I made this Dilly Bread yesterday–it’s absolutely delicious! Turned out perfectly my first time, although I’ll work on appearance next time. I’m curious–why doesn’t the yeast need proofing in this particular recipe? My next adventure is to try your cinnamon roll recipe, as I’m still on a search to find an amazing one. Thanks for creating or re-creating this Dilly Cottage Cheese bread.
Emily: Yay! I am so glad you liked it! Would you mind leaving a review on the recipe page for it (this is the first time I’ve used this new program)? Also, the recipe called for “quick rise” or “bread machine yeast” which is designed to be put directly into the ingredients vs. rehydrating it first (which is what you are doing when you “proof” yeast). I started using the quick rise yeast for my Gluten-Free Wish List book and am really enjoying it!
Jeanne,
I thought that’s what I did–it looks like it posted below the recipe with the other comments. Please send more instructions on how/where to post it somewhere else.
~Emily
Emily: OK, it looks like it has registered! Thank you! This is a new recipe program and I’m entirely clear on how each part works, lol. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for taking the time to adjust this old “family” recipe to make it gluten free. My mom made this bread for years! (never knew it was a Pillsbury recipe!). Hers was always in a round casserole bowl, as the original recipe calls for. I’m willing to make it in the 1 lb. loaf pan- anything to get a taste of this amazing bread! The smell as it bakes is wonderful! Trying the recipe today!
Glenda
Glenda: Hooray! Let me know how it goes! Also, if you want to try it in the casserole dish, do so and tell me about your experience. I’m guessing that the time might have to be adjusted but not much else.
Jeanne – It’s so good to see you back and baking! Now that I’m at a lower altitude (by 1000 feet) I’ll definitely need to try these yeasted recipes. Glad you are feeling better
Linda: Hooray! Let me know how it goes! And thank you–it feels good to be back!