AKA why the braided Brigid’s Cross bread doesn’t work gluten-free and what I mean to do about it!
So, I finally did find a GF bread mix in time for Imbolc. I mixed it up more or less according to the directions.¹ It was just as sticky and gooey as I remembered it, but determination breeds creativity, and I managed to devise a method that allowed me to braid it into a Brigid’s cross … sort of. In the end, it looked pretty good.
Yay! I thought to myself. Now to let it rise …
Yeah, not so much. This is what we ended up with:
Not quite what I was going for.
It tasted ok, but I wanted something that was a little more identifiable. So I hit the web. A bit of research and the finding of some really tasty looking recipes later, I discovered something a little disheartening. GF bread dough is always loose and sticky. It needs a pan to help it hold its shape. No braided bread for me 😦
So I started brain storming on other ways I could make braided baked goods. Perhaps pastry dough or cookie dough? And then it hit me. I could still have Brigid’s cross breads – all I needed was a loaf pan in the right shape. It wouldn’t be braided, but that’s ok. I’m sure Brigid won’t mind.
Unfortunately, my Google-foo let me down when trying to find a Brigid’s cross loaf pan that was available for purchase.² But, I was not to be thwarted. I might not be able to buy one, but I’m a Crafty sort. I could make one!
This website provides all the necessary tools to make silicone food molds at a pretty reasonable price. A little bit of sculpting and a silicone mold kit, I will have a fully functional silicone mold for baking any kind of bread that I want.
Hooray for inspiration and creativity!³
I’ll keep everyone posted on my progress. If all goes well, I might try my hand at other Sabbat-themed baking molds. Cross your fingers for me!
[1] Alas most GF bread mixes are also dairy, egg and general flavour-free, so I make a couple of my own adjustments here and there.
[2] It doesn’t look like anyone else in the food industry has had this idea. Considering Brigid’s worldwide popularity, I was a little surprised.
[3] Thank you, Brigid 🙂
A Less Travelled Path 