From starter to loaf: how to make gluten-free sourdough bread from scratch
So you (along with everyone else in 2020) have decided to diligently feed a sourdough starter, and make your own sourdough bread. The problem? You can’t eat gluten. Fortunately, although there is an element of luck (and a lot of intimidating lingo), creating your own glutenfree sourdough from scratch is a relatively straightforward process.
A sourdough starter is essentially wild yeast that you cultivate by mixing together flour and water. Through a daily process of feeding the active culture and discarding the waste product, you create a living, fermented yeast that can be used to make sourdough bread. Think of it as a homemade, wholesome version of packet yeast.
Once the starter is fed, and you’re ready to make gluten free sourdough bread, there are a few extra elements you’ll need to consider, but the technique is not unlike the regular variety.
To make the starter
Ingredients per feed:25g quinoa flour25g sorghum or brown rice flour50g-75g water (or more to create a thick paste)See ‘starter notes’ below for more details on the flour mix.
Day 1 to 3
In the morning, mix together the flours and water in a clean glass vessel. Ensure that there’s enough water to make a paste, even if this means adding more water than specified, glutenfree flours all absorb water differently. Repeat this feeding procedure at night, so you’re feeding the starter twice a day. Day 3 to 4
Ideally, you’ll begin to see some bubbles start to form around this time. This is when I begin the process of discarding around half the starter, once a day. There’s no need to be super precise – eyeballing it is fine. Simply stir the starter and remove half of it from the jar. You can use this ‘discard’ portion to make crackers, pancakes or anything else where you’d regularly use a flour batter.
You need to feed your starter every time you discard – this includes when you make a loaf. The discard process removes older starter (and waste product from the fermentation process) and refreshes it with new food. This is super important in keeping your starter healthy. Note that you discard once a day but feed the starter twice a day.
Day 4 to 7
Continue with your process of discarding and then feeding. I find the easiest way to do this is to discard in the morning, feed the starter, and then feed it again before bed. There’s no point discarding after feeding – you’ll be wasting fresh flour.
You should now be getting some serious action in your starter, depending on the weather. If you’re in winter or a cold kitchen, it may take up to 11 or 12 days. If you get to day 12 without any action, it might be time to admit defeat and start again.
Around this stage, your starter might have developed a smell. The smell of rotten eggs or sulphur suggests your starter is on track – the smell will mellow, so don’t panic! The smell of alcohol or nail polish remover suggests your starter is hungry – try feeding it a little more flour and water in each feed.
Ideally, your starter will begin a rhythm of rising quite dramatically in the hours after feeding, and then collapsing on itself when it has run out of food. Rubber bands are a great way to track growth, but you can also see where the starter rose to by the remnants on the side of your jar. Good starters have a predictable rise and fall schedule that indicates strength. At its peak, your starter should have a slightly domed top, a little like instant yeast does when you activate it.
Other things to look out for in your starter are a thick, paste like consistency and lots of popping air bubbles when you stir it. A spoonful of your starter should feel light and bubbly when you remove it from the jar. These air bubbles indicate that your starter is ready to bake a loaf of bread.
Day 7 to 12 onwards
Once your starter is bubbly, active and pleasantly mild smelling, you’re ready to bake bread!
You will need to continue maintaining your starter by feeding it once a day. Replenish it with a feed after each loaf. If you’re not planning to bake often, you can keep your starter in the fridge (in an airtight container) and feed it once a week. You’ll need to let it come to room temperature and give it a little extra love a day or two before using it.
Keep in mind that new starters often take a month or so to develop enough maturity for a great loaf, so be patient. The wait is worth it!
To make the bread
There are three areas where glutenfree sourdough differs from a traditional loaf recipe.The prefermentThere are many names for this aspect of sourdough, so I settled on preferment for ease. This is a mixture of sourdough starter and extra flour and water, which is left overnight to ferment. A preferment is important in developing the flavour, texture and overall quality of your gluten-free sourdough.
The psyllium husk gelBecause there is no gluten to hold the loaf together – this is where the sourdough deviates from regular bread – we need to replace the gluten with psyllium husk. Psyllium husk gives strength and elasticity to your loaf, which enables it to rise and produce a good crumb. It is also excellent in absorbing liquid, something we use a lot of to counteract the dryness of gluten free flours.
Psyllium husk is often marketed and sold as a fibre supplement. It’s generally available at the supermarket, health food stores or chemists. Keep in mind that this recipe uses psyllium husk, not psyllium husk powder. They have very different absorbencies and are not a clean substitute.
The flour mixtureFinally, we have the mixture of flours. A mixture of gluten-free flours is necessary to create a lighter, bread-like texture, although I’ve tried to use as few as possible for ease. Once you get the hang of the sourdough, feel free to play around with the flours that best suit you, but keep in mind that they all have different absorbencies and qualities.
EquipmentLarge glass or plastic mixing bowlsBoule shaped banneton (bread shaping basket) or a bowl lined with a clean, undyed tea towelBaking paperCling filmLame (scoring blade) or sharp knifeDutch oven (please note that not all dutch ovens are suitable for high oven temperatures) or cast iron skillet and tin foilIce cubes, optional
For the preferment (made the night before):125-150g active sourdough starter – 125g for a warm climate or 150g for winter or a more sour loaf (I use 150g) 60g white rice flour150g water
For the loaf:55g quinoa flour (see ingredient notes)100g sorghum flour75g tapioca flour60g white rice flour1½–2 tsp fine salt, depending on your taste (I use 2 tsp)¼ teaspoon ginger powder (optional, see notes) 20g psyllium husk (not psyllium husk powder)250-275g water½ tbsp honey or pure maple syrup½ tsp apple cider vinegar (optional, see notes)
To make the preferment
Ensure you’re using a starter that has been fed a few hours before you start. It should be on the rise and have a domed top when you measure it into the bowl. To fit this around a normal work schedule (does this exist anymore?) I’d suggest feeding your starter