According to a quick google search, the only bread you can bake in a bundt pan is monkey or quick bread. Why would I even ask such a question? I wanted to make a pretty gluten free easter bread, basically a challah woven into a circular braid with or without a couple dyed eggs tucked into the folds. I did make one version that I was able to braid, it was beautiful but rather flat, dense, and try, more an overbooked and crusty cake than a yeast bread, which is a common problem with gluten free 'dough' that is malleable enough to actually handle. Since I couldn't find anything I could actually braid, I then decided to modify my artisan bread recipe and see if I couldn't bake a pretty easter bread in a bundt pan. It wasn't a great easter type bread, but it was a fabulous French bread, something else I have tried to master gluten free but haven't had great results. It had a beautiful chewy crust and a soft, fluffy interior, even if it was round!
I bought a heavy aluminum nordic ware bundt pan a decade back at a local grocery store that was swapping out out its inventory (I wouldn't spend $40 on a pan I'd use once a year, but I could afford $10). And I used it about once a year or so, but that may be changing. I'm still fine tuning the recipe (it is the artisan bread recipe in my world famous (0 copies sold!) gluten free baking book, save I use 3 egg whites instead of 2, 1/4 cup sugar instead of 2 Tbsp. I'm going to try 1.5 times the recipe and see how that effects the size of the bread, as my only complaint was it was a little on the narrow side. What we didn't eat right away we cut into 4-5 hunks and froze while still warm and then took them out, microwaved for a minute or two, and then sliced and ate with soup or just for fun and it was as good as fresh out of the oven. I think they's make a good sub type sandwich as well.
The secret to the artisan bread is baking it in a preheated dutch oven, the steam and heat allow it to rise beautifully and keeps everything soft while removing the lid 15 minutes before removing it from the oven makes the crust nice and chewy and slightly crispy and golden. I was using a 2 quart mixing bowl which did a great job, but I don't have a dutch oven big enough to contain my bundt pan, it fits in about half way and the lid covers most of the top, but it looks ridiculous, but apparently it does the job! The best French bread is baked on a thick, preheated metal pan and steamed like this (by various means), but the sticky nature of gluten free bread batter means you can't just slip it into the preheated pan like you can a loaf of French wheat bread, it is best to bake it in some sort of a contained in which it rose otherwise it will go flat, like my braided easter bread.
Also, a thin/cheap aluminum bundt pan probably can't handle the heat (425+) used in this process or it won't brown the crust as nicely. Silicon can handle the heat but is flimsy and definitely won't crisp up the crust as nice. I'll update my artisan bread recipe one of these years to reflect this new break through method (redneck gluten free French bread?), but it is an interesting variation if you miss actual French bread. If this is a wide spread technique, I'm not finding any proof of it on google, which must mean it is unique, right? Probably not! Enjoy!
