Crock Pot Boston Brown Bread

I grew up with Boston Brown Bread. It is a steamed bread traditionally served with baked beans, but I liked it better served plain for breakfast with butter or cream cheese. I only ever had it from a can (B&M) and for me it was an acquired taste. It was dense and very filling, tasting strongly of wheat and rye and molasses. As is the case with so many other foods I introduce my girls to, I ran across an old recipe for homemade Boston Brown Bread for the crock pot. Not having to turn on the oven in this heat and making bread in the crock pot instead was very appealing. I thought the recipe would convert to being gluten-free and starch-free really well, so I decided to give it a whirl. I'm really happy with the result. The bread is lighter in flavor and texture than I remember the original being and I like the taste much better. The best part is that the girls really like it too. We enjoyed this for breakfast plain, but it'd also be good with Earth Balance margarine or pan-fried in a little bit of coconut oil.

Equipment
crock pot
three 14.50z metal cans
tin foil
rubber bands or twine

Dry Ingredients
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour* (OR other flour, such as amaranth - see note below)
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup rice bran
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup dried currants

Wet ingredients
1 cup rice milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup molasses
about 2 tbsp. agave nectar

First, wash and dry 3 14.5 oz metal cans. Grease the insides well with canola oil or non-stick cooking spray. Cut out three pieces of tin foil to cover the tops of the metal cans and grease one side with canola oil. Have three rubber bands or pieces of twine nearby.

Set a medium pot on the stove full of water and turn the heat on high. Bring it to a boil while you make the bread batter.

In a large bowl whisk together the buckwheat flour through the allspice. Add the currants and toss to coat. In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup whisk together the rice milk through molasses. Add enough agave nectar to equal 1 1/2 cups liquid, whisk well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to mix well.

Divide the batter evenly among the metal cans. Do not fill the cans more than 2/3 full. Cover the tops of the cans with the tin foil, greased side down. Secure the tin foil around the top of the cans with rubber bands or twine. Place the cans inside your crock pot and turn to low. Pour the boiling water around the cans and into the crock pot - do not pour the water on top of the cans. Fill the crock pot with water 1/3 to 1/2 full, taking care that the water does not touch the tin foil on the cans. Cover the crock pot with its lid.

Cook on low for 4 hours. Turn off the heat, take off the lid and with a potholder carefully remove the cans to a wire rack. Take off the tin foil and let the bread cool in the cans until cool enough to handle. Then turn the cans upside down and shake a little bit to release the bread from the cans. The bread should slide out easily, if not then run a butter knife between the bread and the can to help loosen. Cool bread completely before slicing.

*Because I used chickpea flour, which acts as a binder, I did not need to add any xanthan gum to my bread. However if you choose to use a different flour, such as amaranth, I recommend adding a little xanthan gum to the recipe.