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Gluten Free Sourdough

WARNING: This bread is a work in progress. 

I  have the best childhood memories of homemade bread. Even better was the homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls! I would "help" my mom mix, kneed, and of course, served as quality control. It reminds me of Christmas and family and FROSTING.

I hit my early 20's and found out I was a Celiac. *SOB* No more amazing bread.

It has been my mission for years to figure out how to do a good sourdough bread that is gluten free and doesn't taste like sand/cardboard/icky things. Then I heard about a study out of Italy and it renewed my interest in figuring this out, more on this in a moment!

A long time ago, bread made this way wasn't considered anything special, it was just...bread. The woman of the house would feed a starter, remove some and mix with salt and flour and water, let it raise for a day or longer, then bake. Repeat daily. Bread took TIME, and science now tells us that it was actually better for us!

Commercial breads, even ones labeled "sourdough" are no longer made this way. It takes too much time and work, they use a powdered yeast and add vinegar or another acid to make it "sour". When bread is left for a "long rise" the yeasts break down the gluten and make easy for out bodies to digest. Think yogurt, its kinda the same thing. Grains are hard on our bellies (even non-celiacs) and sourdough makes them good for you!

Back to the Italy study. Researchers found a bunch of celiacs, broke them into 3 groups and gave group one "normal" bread, group two a lightly soured bread, and group three a long rise version of sourdough. Several out of group one didn't last the whole month long study, my belly hurts just thinking about it. Group two fared a little better. The best news? Group three showed no effect from the bread, the gluten was broken down and changed enough their bodies didn't react.

So back to the drawing board. Round one, I went with gluten free grains, but in the future I am going to try REAL WHEAT!

First you must start with a sourdough starter. I have some I am happy to share! It is my moms, started with potato flakes, sugar, yeast, and water.  Let me know if you want some!

Here is some help

I make 3 loaves at a time, because it is kind of a pain and I would rather make my kitchen a mess only once a week. And this bread freezes well.

Sourdough GF Bread
  1. Feed your starter. Let set for 12 hours. Remove the portion you need (mine calls for 1 Cup) 
  2. Make your dough. I fed my starter in the morning, made the dough that evening. See recipe below.
  3.  Raise dough in your bowl overnight in a warm, damp place. I put mine on "proof" in the oven with a bowl of water next to it and wet towel over the top.
  4. Punch down dough the next morning. Toss it back in your mixer and add 1/2 c. warm water mixed with 1 tablespoon quick rise yeast. Mix very well (2+ minutes)
  5. Place dough in 3 bread pans. Let rise until doubled, mine took a bit over an hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 425 with a bowl of water in the oven. When bread is risen, put in oven. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then drop the temp to 350 for another 20-30.
  7. Bread is done when it is brown and has a hollow "thump".


Bread Recipe
6 c. flour (2 c. tapioca starch, 2 c. oat, 1 c. brown rice, 1 c. garbanzo flour)
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. good oil (think olive or coconut)
1 t. salt
1 c. starter
1/2 T. xanthan

Later: Proof
1/2 c. hot water
1 T. quick rise yeast
dash of sugar

In your stand mixer, add 2 cups of tapioca starch. Turn on low and slowly pour in boiling water. As it mixes it should be stringy and gummy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix very well. Let rise overnight (or 12 hours). Toss back into mixer with proofed yeast and mix well. Shape and place into pans. Rise. Bake. Butter. Enjoy!


Like I have said, this is a work in progress. This batch turned out very tasty, but I am really excited to try making a REAL and WHEAT bread. REAL sourdough doesn't use packaged yeast, but my GF flour needs the help. 

If anyone tries it, let me know how it works!

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