Gluten-free, egg-free Irish barmbrack

My version of the popular Irish bread is adapted from this one. It's traditional at Halloween, but I've been craving it recently. This recipe changes a few things: it replaces the guar gum, xanthan gum and egg with two "flax eggs," and one-third of the flour blend is garbanzo bean flour.

INGREDIENTS:

210 grams King Arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour*
105 grams garbanzo bean flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons ground flax meal + 6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 chopped candied ginger

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200° F / 93° C. Place a shallow baking dish with a half inch of hot water in oven. Turn off oven. This creates a good environment for the bread to quickly rise.

Grease a small 8×4-inch loaf pan OR a 8-inch deep dish pie plate (for a round loaf).

Combine flour, salt and ground ginger in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Mix the flax meal and water in a small bowl and set aside.

Pour water and milk into a small saucepan. Add butter and sugar and warm over low heat just until the butter starts to melt. Remove from heat, stir and cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over the liquid mixture and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Gradually pour the yeasty liquid mixture into the dry mixture, add the flax-water mixture and cider vinegar and beat with an electric mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed. Increase mixer speed and beat on medium for 2 minutes.

Add grated lemon peel, raisins and chopped candied ginger and beat just until combined. Use a spatula to pour the thick, shaggy batter into prepared pan. Place uncovered in warmed oven (with heat off). Allow to rise until double in size, about 40 minutes.

Remove the bread from oven and turn oven temperature to 375° F / 190° C. When oven reaches this temperature, place the bread back in the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool a while. Serve warm with butter.

Yield: 1 loaf.

*King Arthur's all-purpose flour is one of the only gluten-free flour blends on the market that doesn't come pre-mixed with xanthan gum, which can sometimes cause gastrointestinal issues.