It was by far the best gluten-free yeast bread I had ever eaten.  In fact, it challenged my (former) homemade wheat bread in both taste and texture.  The crusty exterior housed a perfectly soft and “glutinous” center that could easily fool any non-GF consumer.  The finished product was light and flaky, but still had the “substance” I would expect from a somewhat hearty loaf. 

Now, for the confession… I would have loved a bread machine on hand when preparing this bread mix.  As to be expected, producing award winning gluten-free bread does not involve just adding oil and water and baking for 30 minutes.  There were detailed steps to follow.  Had I been better prepared, things might have gone smoother, rather than turning my kitchen into a war zone. 

The mix itself is filled with a myriad of all natural ingredients, and a package of yeast is stashed within the bag.  From there, I needed sugar, apple cider vinegar, olive or coconut oil, eggs (see vegan note below), and non-dairy milk.  I meticulously followed the instructions, which were a bit more intricate than I had anticipated.  I opened the mix at 11am, and the loaf was on the rack cooling at 2:30pm.  In other words, this isn’t one of those foods to “whip-up” an hour before mealtime. 

My first challenges came with the dough, which was very sticky and goopy.  It kept riding up the beaters on my mixer, and the bits that escaped were like glue on the counters and myself.  Unlike the traditional kneading of yeast breads, Anna’s Bread Mix is just spooned into the bread pan to rise.  Sounds simple enough?  Let’s just say, by the time I had wrestled all of the dough into the pan, I looked remarkably similar to my husband after his first (failed) attempt at home linoleum installation. 

At last, I had the pan set aside for rising.   Aside from the ominous mess awaiting me, there was still one thing bothering me, the smell.  The bread dough had a strong scent that I didn’t find particularly appealing.  Luckily, after a single rising (it rose remarkably well), I popped the loaf into the oven, and the scent mellowed into a more pleasant note.

I checked the loaf about 10 minutes early, and became panic stricken when it looked burnt!  All that effort, wasted.  To add insult to injury, it was insanely stuck to the sides of the pan.  It took me at least 10 minutes to pry the loaf loose, no exaggeration. 

I was positive that this would be a mix I would never trial again.  Then… I tasted it.  Amazing!  My frustrations, the anguish, it all vanished as I bit into this incredible chewy, flaky, moist, tender (yes, all at once!) piece of bread.  Honestly, this was some of the best bread I have ever had, period.  In my mind, Anna suddenly rose to the ranks of gluten-free goddess. 

My Extra Notes & Tips:

• This is an excellent bread to serve with dinner or for sandwiches.  It slices perfectly, especially once cooled.
• There are egg-free, and therefore vegan, alternatives for preparing this mix.
  Bread Machine instructions are included on the packaging, and bread machine tips are available from loyal Gluten Evolution (Breads from Anna) customers on their websites.
• To avoid making the mess that I did read the instructions through twice to be sure everything is on hand and ready. 
• Use a glass or silicone bread pan if available, they do tend to yield better bread results than metal.  If you use metal, grease the pan very well.
• I would like to offer a special kudos to Anna for her wonderful, environmentally friendly (and cute) packaging.
• This bread is wonderfully low in sugar, though it is a touch high in sodium (250mg per 1/16th).

Where to Buy: Breads from Anna mixes are available in stores throughout the U.S., see the Gluten Evolution website for a store locator.  Online orders are also available for U.S. and international customers.  Also, the mixes are available in bulk when purchased direct.

To view the reviews for Anna’s other gluten-free bread mixes, including Pumpkin, Banana, and “Gluten, Yeast, Corn, Dairy, Soy and Rice Free,” visit our product reviews.