Gluten-Free Sourdough from Scratch

“There’s nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread!”

Ben

Hey Lovelies, here is a simple bread recipe for you to try at home. It was given to me by my friend Angela, and I like it because it doesn’t have any gums or thickening agents in it (which my tummy doesn’t appreciate!) I also think of Angela every time I make it, so that’s a happy memory for me.

Gluten-free bread has a different texture to wheat-based breads. For best results this bread needs to be left to cool completely before cutting, and actually cuts better on the second day. Store at room temperature in an airtight bag or container or slice and store in freezer. This recipe toasts beautifully too.

I’ll be blogging recipes for traditional wheat flour sourdough (you can use my gluten-free starter for that!) and an easy bread machine recipe early next week. Much love, Nicole xx

Gluten-Free Sourdough

To bake this bread you’ll need baking paper, as well as a bread tin, large high sided glass bowl or a dutch oven to contain your dough while it is baking. You can’t free-form this dough and leave it without support or it will end up flat and sad by the end of baking.

I prefer to use a dutch oven with a lid for this recipe but have used bread pans too with good results. Just remember you need a hot oven!

Ingredients

Measure all ingredients carefully and use a knife to smooth off cups to rim level. Using heaped cups or incorrect measures can really muck up the proportions and your bread won’t turn out as well.

Remember that your starter has to have been removed from the fridge and fed about 6 hours before you make a new loaf.

• 1 cup active sourdough starter (recipe here)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup rice flour (White or brown – your choice)
• 1 cup sorghum flour
• ¾ cup arrowroot starch
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 1 Tbsp sugar of your choice (I like coconut sugar but you could also use maple syrup or honey or any kind of sugar)
• 3 Tbsp psyllium husk (You need this to replace the gluten that’s in wheat flours)
• 1½ tsp salt

• 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Method

1. If you are using a bread machine put the dry ingredients then the wet ingredients then the starter and vinegar and choose the appropriate setting for your machine. Walk away and come back when it is done.
2. If you are doing this the old-fashioned way: Sift the rice, sorghum and arrowroot flours together in a large bowl. Then fold through the almond meal, psyllium husks, and salt so it is well integrated.
3. Pour the water and oil onto the flour and begin to mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. When it begins to be integrated use your hands to finish bringing it together so it is well mixed. If you have an electric bowl mixer with a bread hook attachment you could also use that. You don’t need to knead gluten-free bread because it’s only gluten that requires activation through kneading.
4. Let the dough settle for an hour or two. Then add in your cup of starter and your apple cider vinegar. Use your hands to integrate it and bring it together as a firm dough that also feels a bit springy. Transfer the dough to a large clean bowl. Cover this dough with baking paper or a clean dish cloth and leave in a warm place for 4 to 6 hours or until the dough has risen two to three centimeters. (Stuck for a warm place? Turn your oven to 100 Degrees celcius and let it heat to temperature and then turn off. Leave the light on inside. Place your covered dough in the oven and resist the urge to keep opening the door.
5. Preheat your oven to 230 degrees Celsius or 210 degrees Celsius if fan forced (This is 450 or 430 degrees Fahrenheit). If using a dutch oven preheat the dutch oven so that you are putting the dough into an already hot dish. Starting with a cold dutch won’t work. To heat the dutch oven allow about 30 minutes.
6. Cut a piece of baking paper large enough to fit into your dutch oven and that you will be able to grab the sides later to transfer the dough to the cooking container or line a bread tin with baking paper so that it hangs over the sides.
7. If using a bread tin transfer the dough to the lined tin.
8. If using the pre-heated dutch oven dump your risen dough onto the baking paper. Carefully remove hot dutch oven from your preheated oven, remove lid and then carefully transfer your dough using the baking paper it is sitting on. You can use a sharp knife to slash the top of the bread if you like. Place the lid on the dutch oven and then return to the hot oven.
9. If using a bread tin bake bread for one hour.
10. If using the dutch oven bake for 30 minutes with lid on, then a further 15 minutes with lid off and then remove from dutch oven using the paper and return to the oven for another 15 minutes to firm up the crust all over.
11. Remove bread from oven and allow to cool 2 to 3 hours before cutting. The bread is still cooking and the crumb is setting when you remove it from the oven, so it will crumble and become dry if you cut it too soon. Patience!!!
12. Store the cooled bread, wrapped in a clean tea towel, on the kitchen bench for 3 days, or slice and refrigerate or freeze. If keeping cold use the bread for toast or warm it. It gets harder and chewier when it is refrigerated or frozen. For sandwich bread I prefer it left on the bench.
13. Remember to put your bread starter back in the fridge too, until you are ready to feed it and make another batch.

Troubleshooting

Bread making can be affected by the temperature of the kitchen and the moisture levels in the air. I suggest making this loaf a few times so you can adjust it to your local conditions if necessary.

If it doesn’t rise well your starter might be the problem. Google is your friend here!

When you get into the swing of things feel free to add in seeds, nuts, fruit or spices before you let it sit to rise. Good luck. I know Angela will be thrilled you are making her bread!