At Advent Anglican, we celebrate the Eucharist together weekly. We found that food sensitivities and allergies excluded some people, and the possibility of cross-contamination made it a stressful experience for others.
This allergen-free Communion bread recipe has worked well for us. This recipe is gluten, nut, legume, dairy, soy, and egg free.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely ground corn flour
1/2 cup finely ground white rice flour
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/4 cup lukewarm water + extra water for shaping
2 Tbsp. extra refined (low flavor) olive oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (or, if eggs aren’t a problem, you can use 1 egg + 1 egg white)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine corn flour, rice flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar into a bowl and mix well. For some very sensitive people, even a small amount of gluten-contamination can cause problems. To avoid this, I have a separate mixing bowl and baking pan that I use only for gluten free baking.
Add water, olive oil, and applesauce (or eggs).
Stir until all ingredients are blended. The consistency should be similar to thick pancake or drop-biscuit batter.
Take a spoonful and gently shape it into a round disc about the size of your palm. Take a little bit of water on your fingertips and smooth the batter.
Pat neatly into the pan. Bread should be no more than 1/4 inch thick.
Gently cut the loaves to smooth the edges. You can also easily imprint a pattern into the surface.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out smooth. Let cool in pan and then carefully slide off with a spatula.
This batter makes five small loaves, enough to share with a congregation of about 75. While you can prepare it the night before, it is best when made fresh on Sunday morning.