Gluten-free bread rolls have come a long way from the dry, crumbly versions many people remember. Today, they can be soft, light and full of flavour, making them a great choice for anyone who avoids gluten because of coeliac disease, gluten sensitivity or personal preference.

The trick is in the texture. Gluten gives regular bread its stretch, so gluten-free rolls need a little extra help. Ingredients such as psyllium husk, xanthan gum, eggs, yoghurt or a blend of gluten-free flours can help create that soft, springy bite people expect from a good roll.

They are also more versatile than you might think. Serve them warm with soup, fill them with chicken mayo for lunch, or use them as mini burger buns. A quick toast can bring back their softness if they have been stored for a day or two. Recipe compliments of Instant Pot.

Makes: 9 bread rolls

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup whole milk
• 36g salted butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 10g or 1 packet of Instant yeast
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 level tsp Xanthan Gum
• 3 1/4 cup gluten-free flour with Xanthan Gum

Method

1. Warm the milk, butter, and sugar over low heat. Once the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat. The milk should not simmer, so keep stirring to avoid this. Once it’s done, remove from the heat.

2. Add in the yeast, give it a good whisk to combine everything, and set aside for 10 minutes. The yeast should foam up and look very frothy. If it does not foam up, you will have to do the process again (sorry!).

3. Add the flour, salt and xanthan gum to a stand mixer (can also be done by hand) with the dough attachment. Allow it to blend everything together or whisk the ingredients together beforehand. Then add the milk mixture and egg to the dry ingredients and mix on a medium speed.

4. Preheat the air fryer on 50°C for 2 minutes, line the base of the air fryer with parchment paper and grease with olive oil or grease spray, then switch off and leave the air fryer open so it isn’t too hot when you add the rolls in.

5. Once the dough is smooth and there are no lumps (mix for about 5-7 minutes while also scraping down the sides), use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop out the dough and use the olive oil or water to form a ball.

6. Place the dough balls in the air fryer (switched off), grease the tops with more olive oil, place a layer of cling wrap lightly on top, close the air fryer door and allow them to rise for 45 minutes.

7. Once the dough has risen, set the air fryer to 174°C and bake for 10 minutes.