My sister bought me Phil Vickery’s ‘Seriously Good Gluten-Free Baking’ for Christmas, and this is the first time I’ve given one of his recipes a whirl.

To be more accurate, I barely followed the recipe at all Firstly, the recipe was for foccaccia bread and I came out with a nice, soft white loaf. Secondly, I didn’t make my own gluten free flour mix, but bought one in. Also, I didn’t have some of the other ingredients, so either left them out or subbed them. I think the fact that this bread was successful and tasty was pure fluke to be honest!

• vegetable oil, for greasing
• 2 x 7g sachets dried yeast
• 500ml warm water
• 2 tsps caster sugar
• 500g gluten free flour (bread flour preferably)
• 2 tsps gluten free baking powder
• 2 egg whites
• 10 garlic cloves, halved
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 4-6 sprigs rosemary

The recipe called for 1 tsp xantham gum and 1 tsp vitamin C powder, which I didn’t have, and so left out.

1. Oil a square cake tin (at least 20 cm across).
2. Whisk the yeast, water and sugar together, then cover and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes to activate.
3. Meanwhile place the flour, xantham gum, vitamin C powder and baking powder in a bowl and mix well
4. When the yeast is frothy, whisk the egg whites until foamy.
5. Pour the yeast mixture over the flour and add the whisked egg white and bring together. Mix well, but don’t over-mix.
6. Spoon into the tin (it is suprisingly runny at this stage!) Press the garlic into the top of the dough. Leave to prove for 15-20 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7
8. Spoon over some olive oil, some salt and rosemary. Bake for about half an hour (I just kept poking it with a skewer until it came out clean)
9. Serve with Ragu!

Disclaimer: If you try the above and it doesn’t work, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I genuinely think that this recipe was a fluke – with the amount I basterdised the original recipe, it’s either a wonder I got out anything edible. Either that, or I’m a genius.