If you’ve been following this series, you’ll know I’ve been trying different gluten free bread recipes for a while now. And that’s been with no real success. When it came time to choose a recipe for this month, honestly I was starting to feel a little bit tired and deflated by the whole thing. So, instead of testing a bread recipe, im testing a gluten free bread mix. The one I chose was the Dove’s Farm Gluten Free Bread Mix, mostly for brand familiarity more than anything else. Spoiler: some faith in this process has been restored.
Dove’s Farm Bread Mix Overview
Now, gluten free bread is expensive. Very expensive sometimes. We all know this. I picked up this for £2.50, reduced from £3.30. The only ingredients you need to add are olive oil and water, so the full price is somewhere around the £3.50 mark if the mix is at full price and the added ingredients.
If you saw my best gluten free breads ranked post, you’ll know the only gluten free bread loaf that I truly think is worthy of eating is the Gradz Bakery one, which is £3.85. And only available from Ocado, in terms of supermarkets (I think).
So, all things considered, including cooking costs, this is probably about the same cost per loaf as my favourite when both are full price.
Ingredients:
- I full packet of bread mix
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 430ml Tepid water
Expectations
Obviously, it’s hard to comment on a bread mix the way I’d normally share my thoughts on a load recipe. The attempt at the Dove’s Farm loaf recipe has been one of the best so far in this series, so maybe this will work out.
I have two things that I want to note, this recipe suggests a very long proof time for the bread. 60-90 minutes. 60 is about average I think, but 90 feels like a very long wait. But the other big thing is that this mix doesn’t require kneading at all. You literally add water, mix. Then add the oil, and mix. So, although the prep takes a very long time, this is sooooo easy to make. I mean, it should be when it comes straight from a packet like this, but you know what I mean.
Dove’s Farm Bread Mix Review
Did it work?
Sort of? This was the best loaf we’ve had so far by a very long way. It looks like bread; it’s got a bread-like texture. I was fairly happy. The only complaint I had is that it almost tasted a tiny bit fatty along the bottom. At first, I thought this could be down to too much oil, so made a second loaf the following week and only used 2 ½ tbsp of oil and less in the loaf tin. Unfortunately, the results were pretty much identical. Which is unfortunate.
However, if you don’t eat the crust along the bottom, it tastes like pretty good gluten free bread. I’ve found that most GF loaves taste better when they’re toasted. This one is no exception. As toast, it’s actually really good. It could pass for gluten bread when it’s toasted.
One more thing – it went stale very very very quickly. As with most freshly baked bread, it tasted the best freshly baked. The following day, it was edible as bread but you’d rather have it toasted. And on the second day after baking, it’s toast or nothing. It wasn’t much good for anything beyond that. If you’re looking for something to toast and there’s more than one person eating it, this is a good one. However, if you’re looking for sandwich bread for a few days – hard pass.
Overall
As I said, this is the best loaf I’ve made so far so I have some faith this mission will not be fruitless in the end even if this wasn’t perfect. I would buy this mix again to have in, which is progress. Overall, compared to a store bought GF loaf, this mix probably gets a 7.5. possibly an 8 on the basis you can have it in to make at any time with minimal effort. 7 for texture, 8 for ease? I’d quite like to try this again to make rolls to see if the same thing happens to the crust when made on a tray rather than a loaf tin, because the freshly baked bread has serious potential.
Have you ever tried this mix? Or any others I may like?
Until next time,
Sophie
You really do get an A for effort! This particular loaf looks like gluten bread when sliced but the oily taste at the bottom would be a definite turn off for me as well.
Great review – I’m a terrible baker but my sister makes her own bread a lot. Shame that it tasted fatty at the bottom, I wonder what made that happen!
Rosie
I am not GF but have no issue munching away at GF bread, especially when it looks as good as this! Nothing beats fresh bread. And the smell mmmmm.
Helen
This looks delicious 🙂 Too bad it wasn’t as great as you hoped it to be. I’m a bread lover so I’ll have to give this one a try.
Great post!
It definitely looks like a decent loaf of bread in the picture, glad it turned out not too bad! I know what fresh bread is like though when you have it for a couple of days it does get quite stale! However saying that I mostly just have toast anyway. I also like the ease of having this mix and you can just make it whenever! x
Thank you for this – especially the heads up about how quickly it goes stale. There is nothing more disappointed than digging in with your heart set on fresh bread only to find out that it’s already past the point of being enjoyable. This sounds like a great option if you’re looking to make gluten-free bread for a big family meal where it likely isn’t even going to last until the end of the day lol
It’s a shame that the bottom half of the bread tasted fatty but this loaf does look delicious and like bread you would buy in the supermarket! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
It is always so interesting to see your thoughts on new gluten free bread brands. This rose beautifully and the texture looks good, so it is a shame that the bottom tasted oily. I too wonder why that is!
Thanks for sharing! May your hunt for the perfect loaf soon be successful.
This was really interesting to read. I feel like I’m sat here equally as determined for you to find the perfect GF bread as you are haha. You will find it!! It looks like a pretty good loaf from your photos – such a shame it wasn’t a long lasting one though x
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I have not but I have been wanting to try to bake bread. I’m not a great baker tho.
Lovely post!
I love baking bread ❤
I’ve never actually tired to make bread from scratch before but if I get a kit as east as this I would definitely try it out! It’s a shame it doesn’t last very long though I hope you will find a mix that works perfectly x
I have never made bread before but it sounds fun. Shame it didn’t go completely to plan but I am sure they will be much better out there.
Oooh! It is great when you can find some gluten-free mix! Love how the bread turned out. It is a bummer that it went stale really quick. So might be better to make smaller batches or find some more hungry household members :’). Glad you enjoyed it overall!! You are so talented with baking!!
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
This bread mix looks so amazing, thank you for sharing!
Is this sweet? Looks not (my parents would love this!) The ingredients are cheap too which is great. Thank you for sharing.
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