From “The Very Hungry Celiac” by Melanie Persson
Weigh the warm water in a medium jug. Add the sugar, then sprinkle in the yeast. Whisk it well, then cover with a dish towel and set aside somewhere warm for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the flour, psyllium husk, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and extra sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to combine the dry ingredients.
When 10 minutes have passed, the yeast mixture should appear frothy. Add the eggs and oil into the jug. Whisk to combine, then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Combine the ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer fitted with dough hooks, or the paddle attachment on a stand mixer. If you do not have an electric mixer, mix well with a wooden spoon. When the dough has come together, it will be very sticky and coat the base and sides of the bowl. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a sturdy spatula or dough scraper and form it into a rough single ball.
Continue mixing for 2-3 minutes. Initially the dough should clean the sides of the bowl but will begin to stick at the base. Mixing with a wooden spoon, this will take at least 7-8 minutes. Don't be tempted to knead by hand as the dough will be too sticky and you don't want to incorporate more flour at this stage.
Lightly grease a second medium-large bowl with oil, then gather the dough together once more with a sturdy spatula or dough scraper. Turn the dough out into the greased bowl, then gently turn the dough over a few times to coat it lightly with oil on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap, then a dish towel, and leave to prove in a warm, draft-free place for an hour.
After an hour, lightly dust your work surface with flour (using no more than about 2 tsp of flour). Turn the dough (which should have doubled in size) out onto the floured surface. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour then knead gently by hand for 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth. It should be slightly sticky but not clinging to your hands and the work surface.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball, gathering it at the bottom so that any seams or ridges in the dough ball are on the underside. Lightly flour a clean bowl or banneton basket and place the dough top side down into the bowl or basket. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then a dish towel, and place again in a warm, draft-free spot for the final prove. Let the dough rise for another hour.
With about 20 minutes left of the final prove, preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F), leaving the baking tray you'll use for the loaf in the middle rack of the oven to heat too. Also place a second baking tray (with a rim) on the lowest rack of the oven.
After an hour, tip the dough onto a sheet of baking paper. Using a small, sharp knife or bread lame, score the bread once down the loaf in a gentle arc, slightly off centre.
Once scored to your liking, prepare to place the bread in the oven by having the ice cubes directly at hand. Quickly but gently, lift the baking paper and place it on the preheated tray in the middle of the oven, then immediately put the ice cubes into the heated tray on the lowest rack. Close the oven door straight away.
Allow to bake at 220°C (430°F) for 30 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 180°C (360°F) and bake for a further 45 minutes. Like to open the oven and rotate the loaf at this point to make sure that it browns evenly. This also helps to bring down the oven temperature.
After 45 minutes, the bread loaf should be a rich brown color. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.
