Wheat-free, Egg-free Dios (Hungarian Christmas bread)

So it's our first wheat-free, egg-free Christmas, and I couldn't bear the thought of going without dios for the holidays. I never haven't had dios for breakfast every morning the week up to and after Christmas, and I knew if I was going to make the wheat version, I'd have to figure out a wheat and egg free version for Esther and Phil. And I did! What a lovely success it was! I'll post the wheat-egg-free recipe here first, with photos, and follow it with my version of my mother's version of my dad's mother's version of dios. Enjoy, fellow Hungarians!

Wheat-free, Egg-free Dios
adapted from the "Cinnamon Swirl Bread" in Bette Hagman's The Gluten-Free Gourmaet Bakes Bread.


First, make the filling by mixing he following:
3/8 lb raw walnuts (6 oz, this is half the recipe I made, but I did wheat and wheatless at the same time), ground in a meat grinder (best) or pulsed in a blender (carful not to make walnut butter) or crushed in a bag with a rolling pin
the zest of 1/2 organic orange
the juice of 1/2 orange
1/4 C sugar
1 T egg replacer
a small handful of raisins

If it isn't moist enough to stick together, you can add a little more orange juice, but it shouldn't be too wet. Set aside.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl:

2 C Four Flour Bean Mix*
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2T plus 1 tsp egg replacer
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C sugar
2 T almond meal
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast

*Four Flour Bean Mix = 1 part tapioca flour, 1 part cornstarch, 1/3 part sorghum flour and 2/3 part Garbanzo/Fava Flour, Bob's Red Mill is fine or Hagman has her preferred brand

Scald (bring just to boiling, remove any skin that forms & discard) 1 C milk and add
3 T butter
1 T vanilla
let cool

Separately, mix 1/4 C water and 1/2 tsp vinegar

Put your bowl in the mixer with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and slowly pour in the milk/butter mixture, then the water/vinegar & mix until well blended, like a batter. Add more water if it's too thick. Turn mixer to high and beat for 3 1/2 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare 3 mini loaf pans by lining with parchment paper.

When the dough is finished, it will be sticky and look like this -->






Now scoop approximately 1/9 of the batter into each of the three mini pans- just enough to spread it in a layer on the bottom



Then scoop about 1/6 of the filing out and roughly crumble it over the layer of dough. Pat it as flat as possible with a spatula. Repeat the dough layer on top, then another filling layer, finishing with a dough layer. Smooth the dough on top! Your final loaf will have the same basic shape you give it here! Make sure all the filling is covered, as well.



Let the loaves rise until approximately doubled, about an hour or more if your house is cold.










Fully risen loaf












Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about half an hour, covering loosely with foil after about 10 minutes. The loaf should be a nice golden brown when it's done.






Let the loaves cool completely before cutting them! I was especially impressed by the fine crumb and soft texture of this bread, just as it should be. And the flavor is terrific! It's not the traditional swirl of dios, but it will do. Next post, I'll put the wheat recipe up, but my gluten free girl is demanding my attention!