April 23, 2013
~~~~
*Find a new & improved version of this bread recipe and many more ways to use a sourdough starter in my latest cookbook – The Homemade Table – available in bookstores and retailers around New Zealand and personally signed copies HERE.
Gluten-Free No-Knead Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 cup buckwheat or millet flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour or potato starch
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds or chia seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3/4 cup (150g) 'active' bubbly starter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 350 ml tepid water, preferably filtered
- sesame seeds to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine and aerate. Make a well and pour in the starter, oil and water. Use a wooden spoon or spatula (not metal when using sourdough) to mix together and then beat vigorously for half a minute (the beating part is important to incorporate air). The mixture will be wet but thick like a cake batter (see video for correct consistency). Depending on the flours used and the humidity you may need to add a tablespoon of water at a time to get the right consistency.
- Pour the mixture into a prepared loaf tin, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and cover with a tea towel and leave for 8-10 hours in a warmish place (in summer on the kitchen bench, in winter by the fire or in a hot water cupboard). The bread is ready to bake once it has risen about a third, with small bubbles and a slight 'domed' surface.
- To bake, either use a bread maker on the 'bake only' setting to cook for 60 minutes. Or in an oven at 200C for 50-60 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on its base. If using the oven, you will get a better crust if you can create steam in the oven. The easiest way to do this is to place an oven tray in the shelf under the bread tin. When you put the bread in the oven pour 1 cup of boiling water into the baking tray and quickly close the door. The steam will be trapped in the oven.
- Once cooked, cool the bread completely on a cake rack before cutting (this is important to retain the moisture in the bread). Store wrapped in a tea towel on the kitchen bench or in a bread bin. This bread will keep well for over a week.
Notes
*Find directions to make a Sourdough Starter HERE.
Here is a short video I made of making the bread so you can get an idea of the process, and consistency of the mixture.
Way back in October (2012) I wrote about my journey back into sourdough making where I shared how to make a happy and healthy sourdough starter. Because I have a wheat intolerance myself (although I have discovered I can digest good quality sourdough bread) I like to feed my family as much grain variety as possible including using gluten-free flour. So I researched and experimented with making sourdough bread and came up with this simple no-knead gluten-free sourdough bread.
I had already made my wheat sourdough starter with success so tried making it with brown rice flour using the same process and flour quantities. Within 4 days I had a bubbling gluten-free sourdough starter. It wasn’t frothing quite as much as the wholemeal starter I had made previously but it was happy, smelling sweetly sour, and made amazing bread! It also stays lovely and moist due to the long soaking of the flour and the fermentation process of sourdough. Bonus!
Besides the bread tastes great, it is super quick to prepare. I even considered calling it ‘7-minute bread’ but thought this may be a little misleading as it still needs to rise and bake. Once the ingredients are mixed and poured into the tin (about 7 minutes), there is no more work. Just unassisted time to rise plus baking time. Being a busy Mum with 2 young children, this is a good thing.
The beauty of this bread is that I can bake it in my breadmaker on the ‘bake only’ setting. However, it can also be baked in the oven successfully too (instructions above). A breadmaker is engineered specifically for baking bread and it is more economical than heating the whole oven for one loaf of bread. When using a breadmaker, I simply put in the tin with the risen bread, select the ‘bake only’ setting, push start, and walk away, until it beeps incessantly at me to remove the bread an hour later. You can often pick up secondhand breadmakers at op shops or online auctions. With my calculation, this bread costs around $2.50 so investing in a bread maker will pay itself off over time.
If you plan to make this bread, please note, that sourdough needs to be treated like another member of your family. It requires regular feeding and attention. Not a lot of attention, but like any fermentation it needs assistance. Find more information about looking after a sourdough starter here and more in-depth instructions and troubleshooting in my cookbook, The Homemade Table.
Hi Nic – this sounds great – will give it a go. Just wondering where you get water kefir from? Anywhere local?
Hmm, it is something you make like milk kefir and the granules just keep growing. I will ask my networks if anyone has spare in Nelson. I have whey if you want? It is only a small amount and will virtually disappear into the starter. Just gets it started.
Try Trademe
http://waterkefir.co.nz
Nicola, this bread looks fabulous. I’ve always wanted to try making sourdough, but felt a bit intimidated about it. Thanks for giving me the inspiration, and making it seem achievable. Can you use leftover whey from any cheesemaking? Also a garden question. I didn’t realise you could plant broad beans so early. The question is – if I plant broad beans now where I had my tomatoes, can I then plant tomatoes again in the same place again when the broad beans are finished?
Hi Sue. I used whey from strained yogurt which is active with lactic acid that will boost the starter. I am not sure if cheese making whey will work as it has been heated.
Re: this the earliest I ever plant broad beans but some people plant them all year. It is an excellent green crop (fixes nitrogen into the soil) that also provides food. It would be ok to plant tomatoes here next season after the beans as long as your tomatoes were disease free this year. It is good practice to rotate crops if you have the space. There was an excellent article in the recent Taste magazine about this.
Could I use the whey from our Easi Yo Yoghurt?? Really excited to give this bread a go. Thank you
Hi Donna, yes you can. It still has the beneficial bacteria. You may not need to strain at as sometimes a little whey sits on top of the yogurt, just pour this off and you will be away! Good luck!
Hi, wow this all looks fantastic, have always meant to make a sourdough bread and the fact that you can do gluten free is a real added bonus. Just a quick question though. I watched a programme on food tv the other day where they made a sour dough recipe – the only difference is that they mixed it with their hands. I can’t remember exactly why but something about good bacteria from your hands and in the air helping the fermentation process? Any thoughts on this?
Hi Karen, this mix is too wet to mix with your hands, well you could try but it would be very messy! The way I incorporate the wild yeasts into the mix is too beat quite vigorously for half a minute. As long as your starter is ‘active’ i.e. lightly bubbling/ breathing, it will contribute most of the yeast needed for the rise. If you watched the video I made you will notice I used a wooden spoon/ paddle to mix the dough which will also have some natural bacteria on it. Good luck, let me know how you go.
Loving your recipe Nicola – it’s so easy – for some reason I thought sourdough was time-consuming. It is a bit like having another person in that house that needs feeding (I have forgotten a few times) but the delicious bread keeps us motivated. Never had such good gluten-free bread (and I’ve tried a few now). Thanks again.
I know, remembering to feed the starter can be tricky when busy with kids but so far mine always bounces back no worries if I give it a good feed. I actually find the wheat flour starter I had for a while was more volatile than the rice flour starter and didn’t like being forgotten at all!
Your gluten free sour dough bread is awesome Nicola. Thanks for experimenting to get this recipe right – something I’d thought about but probably wouldnt have got around to doing. Didnt need the whey kefir to get it going – was bubbling away after three days. Been eating Breadman Cassava for a few years now but Ive noticed an immediate improvement in my digestion since converting to my own home made. Yay – thank you! Tummy and bowel problems have been getting me down lately. Great timing too – I usually buy my cassava bread at the Motueka market but the seller is unwell and told me on sunday that in two weeks he wont be at the mkt anymore – no need to worry now. Have been taking bread to school and making excellent toasted sandwiches in the sandwich press. Yummy and very filling lasting me through to dinner easily. Can you use the gluten free starter to make the gluten sour dough bread? Thought I might do this for my partner – saves having two starters to feed. Do you know of a less expensive – bulk supplier of gluten free flours?
cheers
Megan
Hi Megan, that is great! Yes you can use the gluten-free starter to make both breads. This is how I make it instead of having two starters on the go.
I will work on a post of the suppliers I use for bulk foods in the coming weeks.
Yes, I would like to hear about bulk food suppliers that you use. For my bread making (not sourdough-yet! Hope to get to that….) I just use the very economical Champion or Pams brands from our local Pak n Save. Is it really worth the extra expense to use stone ground/ organic flours etc? What do you think?
Hi Rae, I will work on a supplier list in a few weeks. I prefer to use stone-ground flour as it has undergone less processing (and therefore more nutritious) than standard white flour. The flours I buy are either direct from the grower or one person removed from the grower. This helps support small growers and also means the price is lower especially when bought direct from the buyer. For me it is a matter of personal choice to pay a little more for quality and locally grown rather than mass produced brands. If we don’t support the little guys they won’t be around for long 🙂
Hi Nicola
still going great with my gluten free sour dough bread. Into a real routine and enjoying three loaves a week BUT I’m going away for a week and can’t take it with me. Planning on putting it in fridge – will it last in fridge for 6 days without any feeding?
Megan
Hi Megan
The starter will be fine in the fridge for 6 days. Just give it a feed before you go and then get it out of the fridge when you return and feed it again. Wait until it comes to room temp and has bubbles before making a loaf of bread.
So glad the bread recipe is working well for you. I find the tapioca flour is better than corn flour (starch) which dries out the bread.
Have a good trip
Nicola
I’ve borrowed my friends breadmaker, had my GF sourdough mix sitting since saturday, thought it was ready last night so made up the bread mix & left in the tin overnight beside the fire, keen to cook this morning.
I couldn’t get your video to work until just now and see that your final mix was a lot wetter than mine was when I mixed it last night 🙁 and found that mine hasn’t risen, plus the sourdough mix is looking a lot more bubbly today.
Can I do anything with the mix in the bread tin now :(? or do I have to throw that out and start a new bread mix?
Hi Lesley,
Oh dear sounds like you might have been too early with the starter. With the cool temps it may have needed another day to activate. If you have some yeast on hand you could try adding 1 tsp to the the bread dough and leave in a warm place until it has risen – probably about 3-4 hours, maybe longer for the dough to warm up enough to activate the yeast. I haven’t tried this so can’t guarantee it will work but worth try to save the mixture.
Good luck, Nicola
Hi Nicola,
I my first starter going in the hot water cupboard but its only been a few days and its pretty chilly so no bubbles yet, but a few questions – i have just realised that i started with spelt water rather than the stoneground white i was intending to use – do you think this should work or should i start again with the different flour – i was thinking i could just change mid way through the process? also thought i might try adding some whey from yoghurt now just to get it going – be interesting to you know your thoughts:)
thanks,
Naina
Hi Naina, thanks for the questions. That is fine to use spelt flour to make the starter and just start using the stoneground when you have it, or keep using the spelt flour. I just wouldn’t recommend bleached white flour as it won’t have any wild yeast in it.
And adding whey now would be fine also, it will give it a little boost in this cold weather. I have noted on the recipe that in winter it may take longer to get the starter going. So make sure it is truly ‘alive’ with small bubbles before attempting to make bread. And I am finding using warm water in the bread mixture is helpful over these cold nights to assist the starter to rise.
Good luck, I hope it works for you.
Nicola
Hi Nicola
Thanks for the recipe. I have coconut kefir which I have fermented – would that work in place of water kefir? I also have the kefir starter, culture starter and Ecobloom if any of these can be used. Thanks Frances
Hi Frances, yes coconut kefir will work be fine. It is just something to give the starter a kick start really. Even a tsp of the liquid you keep your kefir starter in will be OK. Good luck 🙂
Hi Nicola,
Have you ever used Quiona flour in place of the brown rice flour? And how do you think that would go?
Hi Charmaine, yes I have. I found it made the bread very heavy and a slight bitter taste as quinoa flour is bitter unless cooked completely (which may not be quite long enough in the bread). If you wanted to add quinoa flour I would use maximum 1/2 cup to replace some of the rice flour and see how it goes.
Ok. Thank you very much! Im going to give it a whirl this week.
Hi Nicola 🙂 Help please! I am very keen to give this a go so have been working on my starter for the last couple of weeks. The first batch went a bit sour so I followed your advice and tipped half of it out, fed and started again. It has now been a week and still nothing! I have a big bowl of starter with some bubbles on the top but not at all bubbly and frothy like yours. Do I tip out and start again? Thanks
Hi Marcella, if you are making the starter from rice flour it won’t be frothy like the one using the rye. It will be more light coloured with small bubbles on the surface. The smell is your best indication. I would say it is ready if you are making gluten-free from the time you have left it. Let me know how you go.
Oh wonderful, thanks! I am using rice flour. Will have a go and see if it works 🙂 Thanks for the help and love all your recipes and advice!
Oh my goodness I’m so excited!!! I have a lovely tasting bubbly GF sourdough starter!!! I have the first loaf rising on the bench and with bake it in the morning. Fingers crossed it works. That trick with using the whey to activate the starter is brilliant. I will let you know how I go 🙂
good luck, i hope the bread turns out for you. it can take a few batches to get the consistency just right for the perfect bread.
Wow YUMMO is the outcome of the first gluten free sourdough attempt yesterday, so grateful to have found your website 🙂 I used about 10ml of my very fizzy kombucha to help my starter and it was amazing. I did find that my bread had risen after only 4 hours, I also used my plastic covered creaming attachment on my kenwood mixer, and added 2 tblspns of each of ground organic linseed, chia, and psyllium husk. I used the flours you mentioned, added 2 eggs, and 2 tspns of xantham gum. I was so proud of how amazing the bread looked and tasted. Thankyou so much!!!!
Hi Sharon, thanks for the comment. The rise time can really vary depending on warmth and humidity. Also the gum would have helped to rise faster. Thanks for sharing this variation, I will have to try it sometime. I think it would make a really nice fruit bread with the eggs. Enjoy 🙂
I have made two loaves now with the starter. Lovely flavor! We haven’t got a warm spot to leave it in our house during the winter so I think I will try the next loaf in a chilly bin overnight with a warm hottie to see if I can get it to rise a bit more. I just mixed up a batch of the sourdough pancakes for tomorrow’s breakfast. I’m so thrilled to have this GF sourdough starter. Thanks again!
Hi Bonnie, I do find the bread needs a warm-ish place to rise but make sure it isn´t too hot or it will rise then sink by the morning. It takes a little experimenting to get the right time as some people find it rises in 4 hours to be ready to bake. I would say humidity comes into it as well.
Hi Nicola, I was wondering on storing the starter in the fridge, do you just cover it with a tea towel to let it breathe or do you cover it so it is sealed? Thanks
Hi Susan, I store my starter in the fridge with a lid loosely screwed on so it can breath a little.
I’ve got a bread I am super happy with. I followed your recipe exactly. I think the bread is rising better now that the spring temperatures are coming up a bit. It’s so nice to have a GF bread that tastes delicious when not toasted. Even my partner has been eating it, and he is a bit of a bread snob. I love your suggestion of the sesame seeds sprinkled on top. Yum! Hope your travels are going well. Thanks again for the bread recipe!
Thanks for the feedback, and great to hear the bread is a success. It is one of those recipes that needs a little attention and assistance but the result is fantastic wholesome bread. That just happens to be gluten-free!
Hi Nicola, have you managed to make a gluten free pizza dough with this starter? I saw your other post but had spelt and (I assume) wheat flours in it. Would love the recipe if you’ve got one!
Hi Sam, I have only attempted pizza once with my gluten-free starter and wasn’t good enough to share. I will try again and share the recipe when I have it perfected.
Hi I Nicola, I adore your recipes and was super excited to start making my own gluten free bread. My sour dough brew was growing nicely so I made my first loaf over the weekend. But I think I made a terrible mistake and put it to proof and cook in my lovely new cast iron loaf tin. The bread was the most amazing texture, but blue all around the outside, it rusted my tin and left the most nauseating heavy metal smell in our whole house! EKKK Does this sound strange? Was something wrong with my sour dough? I’ve read online other people using cast iron to cook sour dough, but also saw your note not to stir the mix with metal. So what do you cook your bread in? Thanks for all your amazing work. Cheers, Vic
Hi Vic, thanks for your query. Cast iron needs to be ‘seasoned’ before use. This involves heating with salt and oiling the pan/tin. If you google it you will find the directions. I haven’t made this bread in a cast iron tin only a stainless steel one but assume it would be OK if the tin is ready for baking in. Although the lactic acid may not be good for the iron. Sorry I can’t give you a full answer here. I will post a question on my Facebook page next week (we still on holiday) and see if anyone has used a cast iron tin to make the bread.
Hi Nicola,
Can Apple Cider Vinegar or Miso be used instead of the whey/kefir to make the sourdough starter? If so, how much?
Thanks
Hi Alice, thanks for the query. The Miso is not a good idea as you don’t want to introduce salt to the starter as it retards yeast growth. Non-pasteurized ACV could work just a small amount try 1/2 tsp as it is quite strong compared to the whey or kefir. If you try this, let me know how you go. All the best, Nicola
Thanks Nicoloa – and can freshly grounded white jasmine rice susbstitute the brown rice flour throughout? It would be more economical for me to use the jasmine white rice as its already my familys staple.
Yes, that would be fine if it is finely ground. You just want to avoid glutenous white rice flour as it makes the starter gluggy. Good luck!
Hi Nicola,
If using kefir – could milk kefir be used or the grains themselves? And to how much?
Hi again Alice, you could use milk kefir same quantity as water kefir but not the grains as they will multiply.
Thank-you Nicola for this beautiful bread recipe, I am very excited about baking a loaf! I have started my sourdough starter and has been going for four days now. It smells sweet and is of a pancake consistency, but no bubbles yet. Will it literally have bubbles (before touching it) before it is ready to use? Thank-you,
Em
Hi Em, the bubbles will only be very small and you may not see them as the starter doesn’t bubble all day. If you think it smells ready then give it one more day to be sure then get baking!
Thank-you. The starter seems to be good and is definitely ready. I have made two attempts at making the bread though and both times unsuccessful. I am just wondering if you could help me in what I am doing wrong? I have been following the recipe exactly but am just wondering if the oven temperature is too high. My oven is fan forced so is that too high (190 degrees) for a fan forced oven? It is going extremely hard on the outside, a very tough and dark crust. I am determined to get this loaf right 🙂
Thank-you, Em
Hi Emily, thanks for contacting me about this and hopefully we work out what is going on. When I made the bread I don’t use a fan force oven so I think for starters turning to heat down to 170C (maybe too low) or 180C. The hard crust sounds too hot to me. The other thing that will help if you are not doing already is a tray of boiling water in the oven shelf below the bread. I find the easiest way is to have the tray in the oven while oven us heating and pour in about 1 cup of boiling water just before you pop the bread into the oven. The steam from the hot water will help keep the crust from drying out too fast. Also lining your tin with baking paper can help with the crust too. I always make the bread in a bread maker these days and have success every time so if you can borrow one from a friend/ family you might find it is easier and better temperature control. Good luck!
Dear Nicola, YAY, YAY!! Last night I attempted my third loaf after leaving it to rise for the day and finally success. I cut into it this morning for breakfast and is delicious, am so happy. The loaf looks just like yours in your pictures. Thank-you so much for your help in helping me to get it right and sharing such a beautiful recipe. I used an old bread-maker that I picked up cheap from a garage sale. Definitely worth the purchase and the effort.
I can now enjoy delicious bread everyday.
Thank-you!
Em
Hi Em, I am so glad to hear you had success! The bread maker really makes it easier and worth the investment if making this bread often. Enjoy 🙂
Hi Nicola! I already had some gluten-free starter but I used your recipe to make bread. It turned out delicious! I also tried it with 1/2 sorghum, 1/4 brown rice, and 1/4 buckwheat and it turned out a little milder but still delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe! This was the best gluten-free bread I’ve had in ages. Definitely worth the effort.
A friend and I have started a page collecting and linking to our favorite sourdough recipes and detailing the results of our experiments, and we started with yours! Thanks again for the delicious bread 🙂
Thanks for letting my know Elizabeth, I am glad you had such success. And thanks for posting the link 🙂
hi nicola,this looks great! wanted to ask for some tips.I have an electric oven with no fan and whenever i’ve made gluten free breads before they often cook well on the outside and hardly cook at all inside.i never use yeast natural or otherwise and have been useing a tin baking loaf.should i try maybe a ceramic pan and maybe cover with foil for part of the baking time? would love any help you can offer as would love i make this bread! also could i amit the linseeds/chia as i dont like heating them kind reguards x
Hi creatate, you could try covering with foil for the first half hour. Other options would be to try a lower temp as your oven may run hot and creating steam in the oven helps too. Place a baking tray in the rack under the bread and fill with 1 cup boiling water when you put the bread into the oven. Helps to keep the crust going too hard.
And yes you can omit the seeds, they do help with some binding of the bread and the heat won’t get too high while baking. Not enough to damage the healthy fats if that is your concern. Good luck!
Ohhhhh I realised way too late that I used wholemeal buckwheat flour and probably should have modified the amount. It’s sitting to rise and going quite firm. I guess I’m going to get some bkack german style bread out of this!
Hi Una, I usually use standard buckwheat flour and the bread works nicely. If it doesn’t rise maybe your starter needs a little more time to activate…
The bread I got out of it was definitely edible but quite dense. I’m going to try and get my hands on some normal buckwheat flour because the wholemeal sort I have now is very dark, almost black.
A quick question about the starter. Mine is quite grainy and I’m not sure if it is the type of Brown rice flour I’m using or if something has gone horribly wrong. Are you supposed to be able to feel sand like grains if you dip your finger into the starter?
I really want to get this to work, it looks so delicious!
Hi Una. The buckwheat flour sounds very dark. The one I use is a light grey/ brown colour. Re: starter, I don’t think it would be gritty like sand. Mine is like a thick pancake batter. Maybe the rice flour you are using is coarsely gound. You can also use white rice flour as long as it isn’t ‘glutinous’ white rice flour. I hope this helps. Once you have the recipe sorted you will really enjoy making the bread. So easy!
Hi Nicola, I have used your recipe and LOVING it! I used the oven (twice), then got a 2nd hand bread maker.
Only issue I have is, the bread never seem to be fully baked. I tried making the dough more runny (I thought it would rise better and hence will bake throughout) but that seems to make it worse,,, Should I make the dough more dry?…
Hi Maya
A few things could be going on here. If the mix is too wet it won’t cook through. You want the wet mix to be like a thick-ish cake batter that you scoop/ pour into the tin as in my video. Then it needs to rise properly which will come down to the aliveness of your starter. Is it ‘breathing’ – rising and falling – once it is feed. I find if my starter is ‘flat’ I end up with a flat bread. Also maybe you need to cook it a little longer if it is risen well give it another 10 minutes.
I hope that helps, good luck 🙂
I wanted to follow up on my initial question. I have experimentred with your recipe quite a lot, still loving it! I found the best results for your recipe (I’m making the gluten-free version) are when I’m using the oven (and NOT the bread maker). I invested in a very good bread-pan which seems to make all the difference. I also add a bit of a sweetener – sometimes a liquid sweetener, sometimes dry – I haven’t decided which is better… In any case, this bread is a winner!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Hi Maya, thanks for the message. That is great to hear, I have also started adding 2 tsp of maple syrup or coconut sugar to the mix plus 2 tsp psyllium husks [gluten-free] and it makes AMAZING bread even my husband eats it and he usually stares away from gluten-free bread. What kind of bread pan do you use? I have had people ask about the best pan. I use an old-fashioned deep bread tin that I line but I know these aren’t easy to come by so would love to be able to point people in the right direction of where to find one. Thanks, and any other tips for baking in the oven you can share here would be appreciated as people often read these comments to get tips. All the best 🙂
I am using a Silver Anodised pan. When using it, I need to lower the oven’s temprature by 10 degrees celsius.
I use more salt (2 tsp of Himalayan rock salt), and I add 1 tbs of coconut sugar.
Once I even made a loaf with currents and added more cocnut sugar to create a sweet loaf which I brought to a family dinner and was a big success.:)
Thanks for sharing that. I will have to check out these pans. I have been playing with a ‘raisin’ bread too with raisins, orange zest, spices and extra sweetener. Yum!
I make my gluten version bread using a sourdough and we all love it! But I am also interessed in learning to make a gluten-free bread. I will have to give it a try, thank you for sharing, Nicola!
Thanks! This bread has the same texture as gluten bread due to the soaking of the flours. Happy baking 🙂
Hi Nicola,
When making the starter – do you have to stir thoroughly each time?
What temperature does the starter need to be at throughout the process?
I have tried making the starter, continually stiring and feeding it but after a week it still didn’t make any bubbles, and it started growing mold so I had to throw the entire thing out.
I used a glass jar with the lid slightly open on the kitchen desktop.
I am considering buying a temperature adjustable heat mat.
Happy Holidays!
Hi Alice, Sorry to hear your first attempt of the starter didn’t work. Hopefully my answers will help.
Yes you do need to stir thoroughly for each new addition of flour and water. I use a whisk as this mixes the best.
I don’t know the exact temperature as I just had mine sitting on our kitchen bench. I made it in Autumn so the temps would have been between 12 – 20C inside I imagine. I think the main thing is for it to not get too cold so if you homes temp drops a lot overnight a heat pad may help but then you don’t want it too warm or the wrong microbes can multiply. If using a heat pad I would suggest sitting the starter on a cake cooling rack of something similar so it is slightly raised from the heat pad unless you can control the temp to keep it consistent.
Also I notice you used a jar with a lid ajar, try leaving the lid off for a few days as you need to catch the wild yeast in the air then just drap over a teatowel so it can still breathe. I hope this helps, good luck!
could I use milk kefir instead of water kefir? Or am I better off to strain the milk kefir and use the whey only?
Hi Sonja, I haven’t tried milk kefir but I would say it would be OK as it is such a small amount just to get the starter going.
Thank you 🙂
How did you prepare your tin? I made mine in my cast iron post and it is stuck in there 🙁
Hi Emma, I use a bread maker mostly as it is so much easier and efficient than heating the oven for 1 loaf. As you don’t need a paddle you can often pick up a bread maker for a few dollars without the paddle at second hand markets/ recycling centers. When I have used a tin to test the recipe I used a stainless steel tin and greased it well with oil. If you are using a cast iron bread tin it will need to be properly ‘seasoned’ before using so the bread won’t stick. Another option is to line the tin with baking paper so it can be lifted out easily. I hope that helps. This bread is really amazing when you get the hang of it, we go through a loaf a day and no longer buy bread so very economical. I am working on a slightly altered and improved recipe that I will share soon on the blog so stay tuned.
Hello Nicola, thank you for your great info about the bread. By a whisk do you mean a metal egg beater or one of the other kind that has those looped metal thingys?! I wondered because you said to use a wooden spoon. Is that only for the last part of mixing the sourdough bread.
Hi Judy, yes a metal egg beater whisk. It is recommended not to use metal spoons to mix sourdough but a whisk if used a briefly will be fine as it has such a small surface area.
Peace Nicola. I am so excited to try this recipe. I have already begun with the starter. I am wondering if the variety of brown rice matters. I have basmati brown on hand. Thank you sooo much.
Hi Rashidah, brown basmati rice is fine. Just not glutinous white rice as it makes the mix very gluggy. Enjoy !
Dear Nicola, Thank you for absolutely wonderful gluten free sourdough recipe. My first attempt turned out beautifully. I am so grateful for your experimentation and your sharing. I have a german back ground and I grow up on sourdough bread. For the sourdough gluten free recipe, when you speak of variations — spelt, buckwheat, or oat, what are the replacing in the original recipe? Is it the one cup of rice being replaced by one of the variant items?
Hi Nicole, for the non-gluten-free version you replace the 1 cup rice flour with 1 cup spelt flour, the same quantity buckwheat [1 cup] and 1/2 cup oat flour [I just grind rolled oats in a food processor] in place of the tapioca. These quantities are at the bottom of the ingredient list as a variation.
Awesome that your first attempt went well, I find sourdough needs more attention and can be a little temperamental but over time you get into a nice rhythm with it all. Enjoy 😉
I used milk kefir and my started was bubbling on the second day– even when the weather was quite cold in autumn Australia. I waited until day 4- wasn’t as bubbly as on day 2 but it turned out very tasty. Is there any way to make it rise more?? My loaf was baked in the bread machine. Also can I make these into bread rolls or sweet buns? Would love if you could share a suggestion. Thanks.
Hi Ellie, the starter much have like the milk kefir to be bubbling by day 2! I find the more I use the starter the better the rise gets and there is a ‘sweet spot’ timewise for the highest rise which you will work out over time. If left too long it will slump and not rise again and if not left long enough the bread will be more dense. If you are making the gluten-free version for the last 6 months I have started added 2 tsp psyllium husks and 2 tsp sweetener [coconut sugar or honey] which I think really helps hold the bread together and give it awesome rising abilities. At some stage I will share the improved version here but for now if you add these two items you will find it makes better bread. I have tried making the bread into rolls in muffin tins with so-so results! I really find baking in a bread-maker gives the best results as it is purposely designed to create the best bread baking environment. Good luck!
Hi am making the sour dough bread for he first time. Am just wondering about the feeding which needs to be done every 8 hours for the first four days. That would mean getting up in the night so will it still work if I am not feeding exactly at 8 hour intervals??
Hi Susan, ideally you don’t want to be getting up in the middle of the night! You want to feed it approximately every 8 hours. I feed mine first thing in the morning [7am] then again at 2-3pm and then right before going to bed [10pm]. It doesn’t need to be right bang on 8hrs it just needs to be feed regularly to activate the wild yeast. If it is quite warm where you are keeping the starter you may even find it only takes 3 days and then you can feed it once a day. It does take a little bit of getting used to looking after the starter but I do find it is more forgiving than you think. I often forget to feed mine everyday and then just give it a bigger feed [1/2 cup flour/ + 1/3 cup water] when I remember. It always bounces back. Good luck please ask if you have any further questions.
Thank you so much!!
First loaf rising in a sunny room now!! Thank you ! Is there somewhere I can get the recipe for the sourdough pancakes please?
Hi Susan, right here… https://www.homegrown-kitchen.co.nz/2013/06/05/sourdough-pancakes-with-caramelised-apples/
Thank you for the link. Ok so I have made the bread and the pancakes now. But I am not sure about the taste. I think it’s the buck wheat flour that I don’t really like. What other gluten free flours have you used ?? Maybe next time I make the bread I will add rosemary or other herbs. I really appreciate your patience and answers to my queries thanks!
Thanks for all your help
Just wondering if you have ever used coconut flour in your starter or in the loaf mix??
Up above you mentioned adding coconut sugar and phylum do yo put that in the loaf mix?? I’m just getting ready to make my second loaf and want to change the flavour a little with what I’ve got in the house.
Coconut flour won’t work for the starter, it is very fibrous so would make a very dry mix. You could try a tablespoon or two in the bread mix but only a small amount. You only need about 1/2 cup in a large cake recipe to give you an idea of how much it absorbs liquid.
Yes the psyllium husks and sweetener [coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup] goes into the bread mix to help with the rising and binding.
Hi again. I had already put in some coconut flour into the starter before I got your reply so don’t know how the starter will be now it’s back in the fridge. But I did add extra water knowing that coconut does absorb moisture. I also put some in the loaf and extra water and used rice syrup and psyllium as well it’s turned our well and tastes good too. I sent a photo to you on Instagram Thanks for your help!!
Hi again! Good to hear the coconut flour worked and glad you knew to add extra liquid or it would have been a dry brick! I haven’t seen anything on my instagram from you. Are you tagging either @homegrownkitchen or #homegrownkitchen. Would love to see the progress! Or maybe you have a private account I can’t see??
Have you seen any of the photos I’ve tagged #homegrown kitchen yet?? I’ve been making a loaf a week and they have been consistently good I am glad I read about the psyllium that seems to have really improved them.
Hi Susan, I just checked Instagram again and no delicious looking breads from you. What a bummer I would love to see your creations and so great to hear it is going well for you. I find it is a very adaptable bread and people change it suit their needs and tastes.
Hi Nicola, I had a very nice bubbly starter going after about 3 days so started feeding it just once a day and has lost its fizz and now rather flat. Have started feeding it 2-3 times a day again to see if it revives itself but no miracle yet. Any other tips? I am keeping it above the hot water cupboard so temp should be reasonably warmish and stable. I did use the recommended amount of whey to start with but do I need too add some more? And when feeding the starter just once a day does it still need to be whisked at other times or just the once when feeding?
Hi Helen, I do find the starter settles down after the initial bubbly faze. Does it have bubbles at all? and how does it smell? If it is really offensively sour you can try tipping half it out and then feed it with 1/2 cup flour and 1/3 cup water. A splash of whey wouldn’t hurt but is not absolutely necessary. I just whisk mine once a day but it does tend to separate with watery liquid at the top however this whisks back in no worries. I hope this helps.
Thanks for your reply. It completely fizzled out…no bubbles but no offensive smell either. So I am just using the yeast option for now which I think is delicious! It lasts so well for several days without going stale. I’m a total convert to baking my own bread with organic flours now. Will try again with the starter but currently heavily pregnant and chasing a busy toddler so must prioritise!
The yeast version is a great place to start from especially if you are busy the sourdough starter does need some regular TLC. The long rise time for the yeast helps to pre-digest the flours and grains to make them more digestible so still an awesomely nutritious bread. Enjoy and all the best with new baby on the way 🙂
I am very excited about trying this recipe and cutting bread costs in our household! Just wondering if you have a favourite olive oil that you use for this bread? Kate
Hi Kate, I use a local extra virgin olive oil. We can buy it in bulk from a local food store. Always use extra virgin as it is better quality than standard olive oil which can be mixed with other vegetable oils!
Just had my best results yet with the following additions/substitutions:
1c starter, 1c Brown rice flour, 1c millet flour, 2Tbuckwheat flour, 2Tflax seeds, 1T coconut sugar, 2t psyllium husk, 1.5t salt,
300ish ml h20.
The original recipe didn’t cook through in the hour my new cuisinart allows for bake-only but the millet did perfectly. Could even eat it untoasted- a small miracle! Thanks so much for the inspiration here. A great recipe to play with!
Hi Laura, sounds great. I have had mixed results with millet flour so will have to try again using these ratios. Yes I do find the bread often needs more like 1 hour 10 minutes and some bread makers don’t allow for this. I just put mine back on for 10 minutes if the top is still pale.
Hello Nicola, I originally used your site last winter for your crochet slipper boots. I had been searching everywhere for a pattern to make some for my 1 year old and just could not find one. Anyway my husband had a search and found yours. I was very pleased to know that it was a new zealand site!
Then when i looked around and saw your gluten free sour dough recipe, i got even more excited!
I have been experimenting with sour dough starters and bread with rye starter and spelt flour for the past 10 months or so and have been trying to cut down on our families wheat consumption. So was very excited to try out your recipe!
Anyway from reading the comments and seeing someone asking if you could use acv to help get the starter going, i used your recommendation of 1/2 tsp in mine as we have cut dairy out of our diet.
After the second day I started seeing a few wee bubbles and now at day four even more and it has started to develop that lovely fruity smell:) Can’t wait to make some bread with it soon!!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge:)
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your message. I find most of my readers are New Zealanders as blogs are starting to grow in popularity here. It is great to find people commenting too as this is all quite new to us kiwis, I love getting messages especially feedback on recipes that are working. Good luck with your bread, it sounds like the starter is all ready to go. Let me know how you go 🙂
I have been making annabel langbeins busy peoples bread – yeast based and super easy , I ‘d like to make a gluten free version not sure if I need to add tapioca or just substitute the whole meal& high grade flour with buckwheat & rice flour? Am going to try yours but while I wait for the starter to work am keen to adapt and use my current recipe because it is so easy – rises in the oven at 80 degrees then heat turned up for 35 mins to cook. Any gluten free bread making tips welcome.
Hi Lisa, you could try making it with the buckwheat and rice flour although I find the tapioca and ground flaxseeds help to lighten and bind the bread to act a little like gluten. So if you could add them using similar quantities/ ratios to my bread it may work out alright. I haven’t tried this recipe so I am not sure. At the bottom of my sourdough bread recipe you will find a ‘yeast’ variation if you want to try this before the starter is ready. I make this sometimes when I am in a rush and haven’t feed the sourdough starter, it works really well. I hope that helps.
I have a loaf waiting in the hot water cupboard but I didn’t grind the flaxseeds! fingers crossed!
I think it will still be fine. The flaxseeds will still help to bind if they are not ground but definitely work better if ground first. Good luck!
Hi Nicola,
I have made your sourdough starter as a gluten base and made bread with this successfully. The whole family love it. Now my daughter is Coeliac so I have made a gluten free sourdough starter with great success. BUT I can’t get the bread right. I have baked in the oven the first time but it was very crumbly so much so I ended up making bread crumbs! The second time I made in the Bread Maker and the top half was crumbly the bottom half was fine. Do you know what I am doing wrong? The third time I made it in the Bread Maker I let it rise for only 6 hours (Usually I do 8-10) but no different result. Help please 🙂
Hi Louise, a couple of things could be happening. First you will need a little less water for the gluten-free bread compared to when making a gluten loaf. It is best to go with the consistency rather than water quantity. Add enough water to get a pourable cake batter thick enough that you can write your initial in the mix and it stays visible for a few minutes. If it spreads out flat straight away the mixture is too wet and will become crumbly on the top. The other thing would be that it has risen too fast, so keep it in a consistently warm place but in the hot water cupboard or next to the fire might be too much. I just keep mine on the kitchen bench where the sun warms it gently during the day and as soon as it has a nice risen ‘dome’ I bake it, usually after about 6-8 hours but can be faster if warmer. I hope that helps and makes a difference to your bread 🙂
Hi Nicola,
My first sour dough didn’t turn out so well. I think it was not quite ready. After leaving for another day it was fine. For about a week it was going great guns. I was making a loaf almost every day. Doesn’t last long in our house! Until I ran out of rice flour and the local organic supplier had run out too so i didn’t feed it for a day.
I ended up buying some rice and making the flour in my blender. Unfortunately when i went to feed it, it had a ring of fine fluffy mold around the top edge of the plant. Do you know what i must have done wrong. I have had it just sitting on my bench top out of sunlight and at least a meter and and half away from my oven.
Hi Elizabeth, that turned fast, I often feed mine every second day in winter and it is fine. You could scoop off the mould on top and throw away half of the starter and give it a feed with 1/2 cup flour and 1/3 cup water and then feed twice a day for a few days to bring it back to life. Maybe it had something to do with it being so young, but I really don’t know sorry! It sounds like you are doing everything right 🙂
Hi Nicola,
I made a gluten free starter a few weeks ago, using chickpea and wholemeal rice flour with a bit of whey powder to get things going. I made my first gluten free loaf last week using a combination of wholemeal rice and buckwheat flours, and added some caraway and sunflower seeds. Wow – it was so good, I wanted to eat the whole loaf in one sitting! I’ve tried a lot of gluten free bread recipes in the past few months, but this is by far the best. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this recipe! Love it, and it just keeps getting tastier with each loaf we make :).
Thanks Chelsea, totally agree sourdough improves the more it is used!
My local (Blenheim) The RealFood Grocer has a mill in store and can make fresh stone ground wheat, rye etc flour. Makes lovely tasting bread and still has all the goodness in it.
You are so lucky! One day if I open a wholefood cafe/ shop this is something I would like to do too. I grind ours in a small batches in a commercial coffee grinder. Works well for small batches but not ideal. One day 🙂
Hi Nicola
I am really keen to try your recipe – it looks fantastic. Could you please provide some advice on ingredient substitutions – we have allergies to wheat and buckwheat – would the recipe work with using 2c of brown rice flour?
Is the tapioca in the starch or granule form?
Are the flaxseeds/chia seeds for binding or another purpose?
Many thanks
Jen
Hi Jen, thanks for the questions. Yes you can use 2 cups brown rice flour but you may want to try adding 1/2 cup millet flour to make it more nutritious if you can use buckwheat. Tapioca flour [starch] is used in the recipe it helps to bind the recipe and give it some lightness. Yes the flaxseeds are used for binding but also they add omega 3. I don’t like to use gums for binding as they can be hard on the stomach particularly if you are not OK with gluten. Adding 2 tsp psyllium husks also helps with the binding if you can’t use the seeds. Happy baking!
Hi Nicola.
Finally brave enough to try make the bread gluten free, but I was wondering if there was something I could use instead to brown rice flour?
Thanks!
Chelsea
Hi Chelsea, you can try using a mix of millet and quinoa although it will be a heavier bread. So far I haven’t had luck making it without rice flour so it is nice and light and doesn’t dry out.
I made my first loaf today and we had it for lunch still warm. Yummy. It was however not as tall as a normal loaf of bread, not even as tall as a normal GF loaf of bread. Can I double the recipe to make it taller and put it all in the same loaf tin?
The loaf I make is similar in size to a store bought gluten free loaf, maybe a little smaller but barely. If you are making the sourdough version it can take a few loaves before it gets a good rise on it. I haven’t tried doubling the recipe so not sure if this would work, it may also be the size of the bread tin used. First try 1 1/2 the quantity and see how that goes.
Hi Niccola, thanks so much for your amazing recipes, I’m a big fan! Unfortunately I’m not having much luck with the starter for this bread. I’m starting with the brown rice flour, water and a tiny amount of coconut yoghurt. I’m getting bubbles within 12 hours, but then after another 24 hours of feeding 3 times a day the bubbles start to dinimish and I end up with a sloppy brown mush and a layer of water on the top. Is it actually ready to go after 12 hours if I have bubbles, and should I stop feeding 3 times a day at that point? Or am I doing something else wrong? Thanks
HI Tania, usually it takes about 4 days to get bubbling but sounds like yours went very fast. If it is bubbling and smells sweetly sour it will be ready to go. Yes, you can stop feeding it 3 times a day at that point. But first try making some bread to make sure it is working just incase there was something else making it bubble so early. Did you keep it in a very warm place? Otherwise maybe it was the coconut yogurt doing wonderful things! I hope that helps.
This is awesome! I am going to try this now!
Hi Nicola, I have a rather lifeless starter sitting on the kitchen counter at the moment. It started bubbling nicely after just under two days of feeding. At that point I attempted to make the first bread loaf. It did not rise over night, maybe because the temperature had dropped significantly, or because the starter wasn’t ready. I stopped feeding the starter every 8 hours and all was well for about a day. I had to transfer it to a new jar, slowly after it stopped bubbling. There are zero bubbles now and a thin layer of liquid started to form on top. I tried to go back to regular feeding, but no change. The smell is also rather strong. But I am not quite sure what the smell should be like either. Do I have to start over or should I try pouring out half and keep on going?
Thanks
Hi Tanja, I would try pouring out half and feed again. It has been pretty cold recently so might have halted the fermentation process. Give it a boost and a few days and hopefully you will be good to go. If you are using rice flour it won’t be super bubbly but will have something going on in the jar. I find mine rises and then falls gently during the day and sometimes has a layer of liquid on the top which is easy to whisk back in. I hope that helps.
This looks brilliant! I’ve had enough cakey, pricey gluten-free bread for a lifetime so I’m ready to give this a go. It looks very similar in texture to the dark Scandinavian rye loaves which I fell in love with in Sweden – solid, moist and perfect with a good spread of butter. Thanks Nicola!
It is lovely and moist, good luck and hope it comes out nicely for you 🙂
Hey Nicola having great fun making both the gluten-free and non GF versions of your bread at the moment. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Jo, that is great to hear, Thank-you for letting me know it really helps to get this feedback. Happy holidays 🙂
Hi Nicola, I have tried many of your wonderful recipes with success. Thank you! Unfortunately, I am not so successful with the bread starter. I have used whey powder ( instead of whey) each time as this was the only thing I could find in the health shop. Could this be the culprit? I don’t get any bubbles even after feeding it for 7 days. Would really appreciate your help. thks Inge
Hi Inge, I think the culprit is the whey powder as it needs to be whey from a living fermented source such as yogurt. To get whey I strain yogurt through a cheesecloth lined sieve. It doesn’t take long to get enough whey and the yogurt will go lovely and creamy too. Make sure it is natural unsweetened yogurt such as cyclops or clear water which will have the good cultures in it to get the starter going.
Hi, first of all thanks for the recipe. I can’t wait to make the sour dough as I buy it occasionally when I go to Christchurch at great cost. I would like to know if I can use a probiotic tablet as a starter?
Thanks. I’m really looking forward to your reply.
Cheers
Louise
Hi Louise, I haven’t tried a probiotic tablet so really not sure how it would work. My guess is that you would only need a small pinch of the powder rather than the whole capsule. Mix it will a little water and add to the flour and water. I hope that helps 🙂
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I’ve tried a few different ‘breads’ after discovering I have a gluten intolerance and I don’t use commercial yeast due to candida problems – this bread has changed my life! After making my first loaf it smelled lovely so I impatiently waited for it to cool before taking the first slice and I just stood and ate it at the kitchen counter. It is so good! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes now. Best wishes, Jude
Thanks Jude, I am so glad your found the recipe useful. It is very adaptable and can be made with a variety of flours. If you read through some of the comments you will find extra ideas and additions that might be helpful. This is an ever evolving bread!
HI Nicola, just making this for the first time 🙂 Is it 250 ml off water as it says in the instructions or 300 – 350 ml of water as listed in the ingredients? Just wanted to clarify. Many thanks!
Hi Triscena, I start with 250ml then add extra water as needed up to 350 ml. Depends on the type of flours used. You want a consistency of cake batter so it is quite wet compared to kneaded dough. I hope that helps 🙂
Hi, Is it possible to omit the arrowroot?
Hi, yes you could use cornflour or something light that will soften the dough as gluten-free flours can be a little dry and crumbly.
How could I not know that sourdough gluten free bread was a thing ?? We’re just finishing off some gluten free bread (http://marianecuisine.blogspot.com/2015/10/pain-sans-gluten-qui-passe-laise-pour.html) but we have some sourdough waiting to be used !
When you say tapioca, you also put arrowroot . . Is it both or one or the other?
Hi Barbara, it can be either they are interchangeable as a binder for the bread.
Hi there, Im really excited about trying the sour dough starter. I can’t seem to find any water kefir grains, would you know of anyone local that has some I could buy? Thanks.
Hi Lindsey, you can make it without it will just take a few more days. However, you can also try the Facebook group Fermenting Freaks Forever as they have a list of people with spare ferments around the country. Good luck!
Hi Nicola, apologies if this comment posts twice! Thank you for such a amazingly simple gluten free sourdough recipe! I got some kefir from a friend, made the starter and baked my first GF sourdough yesterday. The house smelt incredible while it baked and its the yummiest GF bread we’ve had (hubby and I tried it plain and toasted – thumbs up for both). We’ve been buying the Flaveur sourdoughs for the last year but at $8.80 a loaf they’re not cheap. It feels so good to bake my own bread from scratch, very empowering. Thank you!!!
Thanks Felicity! I appreciate you taking the time to comment (now my commenting system is working again!). So great to hear. I know, it is much cheaper to make your own. And more nutritious as you can control the quality of the flours used. Enjoy 🙂
Do you leave the tray of water in the oven the whole time the bread is cooking or just to begin with? Thanks
Hi Abby, the whole time, it will evaporate after about 15 minutes. Happy baking 🙂
Hello there,
I would like to thank you for your sourdough gluten free bread recipe. My wife has an gluten intolerance and is happy now with this tasty bread daily on the table. I am sure that you have worked very hard for this recipe and I have appreciated your generositty for sharing us the recipe.
By the way, as a starter I use 5 grams of sourdough with gluten flour and then I fed it with rice white flour and water. It works ok.
Best wishes…from Bucharest, Romania!
Hello Sabin from Romania! Lovely to hear from you and I am glad your wife is enjoying the bread. It is quite adjustable with different flours so you can play around with the recipe too.
Good idea starting with 5g sourdough starter and building it up from there, much quicker than starting from scratch!
Happy baking, Nicola
Hi, I was wondering what other flours would could try as my son can’t have rice flour and I am not keen on buckwheat. Would sorghum flour work?
Hi Aimee, you could try sorghum, millet and almond meal/flour in place of the rice and buckwheat, however, the water content may need to be increased a little as sorghum is very absorbent. I hope that helps 🙂
Hi Nicola Have just found your recipe and keen to try! One question though – have you tried it with adding sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or other seeds to give a “vogel’s” type loaf? I’ve read through all the comments and it doesn’t seem like anyone has tried that. Just wondering as I love my nutty seedy breads 🙂
Hi Karin, yes I often add seeds to my bread. The updated version of this recipe will be in my new cookbook out next month and is loaded with seeds and other goodies!
You may need to adjust the water content of the dough as the seeds will absorb some of the moisture. Enjoy 🙂
Hi Nicola,
Love your website.
Have tried making this loaf a couple of times trying the gluten-free alternative but without too much success. My brown rice flour starter is ~4 weeks old and rises well but 1) is very sour where it isn’t nice to consume, and 2) when baking, forms a very tough crust at the top which falls apart when cutting, whereas the middle could do with extra cooking.
Any tips?
Thanks!
Hi Andrew, try using the starter to make bread around 6hours after a feed of new flour and water. The sour taste is the bacteria taking over which happens 8+ hours after feeding. Also the crumbly top indicates that the dough has over risen and and has collapsed hence the dense middle. Try rising for less time or keeping in a cooler spot. I have included an updated version of this recipe in my new cookbook with more details about using and looking after a starter if you want to learn more. Most libraries in NZ have copies available.
Good luck, Nicola
Hello Nicola!
Thanks for your reply about the consistancy of the GF starter – I managed to get through the first stages & have made three loaves of bread that look great on the outside but they all have not cooked enough on the inside…& I’ve varied the times.
Happily for my birthday I got a much wished for copy of your cookbook – it is beautiful, thank you for sharing your culinary knowledge 🙂 it is joyous! After the three mishaps & now book in hand I started afresh with 1 Tsp starter & fed it back up…smells more sour than sweet (I’ve not smelt any starter to have a comparison though…) With the float test, once at the 6 day mark, no floating or day after. I’ve wapped it in the fridge in the meantime, hoping to glean some insights from you before trying again. I was using the first recipe, not the updated one in the book if that makes any difference…..
Thank so much for your time
Nalita
Hi Nalita. thanks for checking in about the starter. The float test isn’t so accurate with the gluten-free starter as it has a small window before the carbon dioxide bubbles deflate. The main thing is that the starter is getting bubbles in it a few hours after a fresh feed of flour and water, then it will be good to go.
Hmm, not sure about the inside not cooking, it is a layer at the bottom or uncooked throughout? If it is at the bottom of the loaf the dough hasn’t risen enough before baking. I find looking for ‘cracks’ on the surface is the best indicator of when it is ready to bake. Having a healthy starter is critical too so hopefully with a few more feeds the starter will be stronger. It really takes 2 weeks including the initial 5 days to establish, then 2-3 bakes before the starter is at it’s optimum. After that not much changes if the starter is looked after correctly.
So happy to hear you are enjoying my book, good luck with the bread 🙂
Hello Nocola,
I am new to bread baking and have tried your GF variation three times in a bread maker. The resultant bread looks good, but is gummy particularly the bottom third of the loaf. My starter uses brown rice flour and I include a little kombucha when adding flour and water, to keep it active. Starter is approx two weeks old and bubbling. I have tried baking a little longer 80 minutes, then next attempt leaving to rise for 9 hours. Help !! Many thanks, my wife and I love your work.
Hi Nate, thanks for checking in about the bread. I am sure we can get you baking awesome bread! The gummy texture is an indication that your starter isn’t quite strong enough. The best option here is to refresh the starter – scoop 1 tablespoon of the starter into a new jar, discard the rest, and feed 50g water and 50g flour every 12 hours. After two feeds you will have around 200g starter to make bread. Aim to use the starter between 6-8 hours after a fresh feed because this is when it has the most yeast activity. This can take a little bit of planning to get the timing right but this will make a big difference in bread rise and quality. Good luck!
Many thanks Nicola, will let you know how we go. Kind regards. Nathan
Hi Nicola,
Thanks for your recipes. I have made a gluten free sour dough from scratch using your recipe with brown rice flour feeding it 30g flour and water for 10 days. Was bubbling and smelling good. Am making my first loaf with gluten flours, however i had to add quite a bit extra water. My starter was very thick compared to your video. The consistency of yours appeared to be like yoghurt. Mine was so thick that it would never pour..
Should I add a bit more water when feeding the starter? I have been using scales.
Cheers Llyween
Hi Llyween, thanks for your message. The starter is thick when using brown rice flour and I find flours can vary so if it does seem too thick then add a small amount of water to loosen – 1 – 2 teaspoons at a time. When you get a new batch of flour you may need to adjust the consistency again.
Also the starter can take a few bakes to reach it’s full potential so the first bread or two may not rise exceptionally well, but persevere as once the starter is strong it will make amazing bread 🙂
Hello Nicola, Thanks for your reply. At least I know things are on the right track. I will definitely perservere. My aim is to make gluten free, however I am going to make 2 or 3 loaves in gluten flours first to give the starter a chance to grow strong and get a feel for the process. Making in oven at moment, as my old breadmaker does not have bake only option. Wanting to update but want to make sure I invest jn the right one to suit. Do you have any advice on breadmakers?
Thanks a lot Llyween.
That sounds like a good plan, it is easier to get the starter going with gluten flours then when it nice and strong scoop 1 tablespoon into a new jar and feed with GF flour.
In regards to breadmakers I am not sure what is available these days, I still use the same breadmaker that is about 12 years old! The main requirements to look for will be ‘bake only’ and being able to set the baking time. I haven’t got this second option on mine but I have heard this is available and helpful when baking only as bread baking times will vary. Good luck! Nicola
Hi, wondering if you could share the upgraded version of this bread here? Also when I go through your website and want to open a few of your recipes at the same time in different tabs I find that clicking on the right side to open in a new tab doesn’t work on your site. Are you aware of this obstacle? Thanks
Hi Cara, the bread recipe is in my cookbook so is under copyright with my publishers. You can still order copies through my website and I will send out as soon as I can. HOMEGROWN KITCHEN COOKBOOK
I will have a look into the technical issue. I run the website myself so do my best to make it as functional as possible. All the recipe image/links on the right column of the website now open in a new tab.
All the best
Nicola
Hi, I still can’t open anything in a new tab. E.g I am on this page and when I look and the curry recipe on the right and want to click right side on it and open it in a new tab it doesn’t work. Anyway, thanks for trying
If you click on any of the images or links on the side they will open in a new tab – you don’t need to right click first.
yes, it works now, thanks
Hi, in the yeast version do you mean 1/4 spoon of dry instant east?
Hi Nicola,
Made your GF bread last night… delicious and loaf devoured over lunch. I can’t tolerate rice flour… if you used just buckwheat and Tapioca do you think it would work? Always loathed to try something unless I know its going to work… thx. Hope you are great in your bubble. Louise.
Hi Louise, I haven’t made this bread with buckwheat in this ratio so can’t be sure how it would turn out. I also haven’t had much luck with using buckwheat in the starter. If you can source some sorghum this can be used but again I haven’t made this bread without any rice flour because it is the base of the recipe so really not sure of the results.
All the best
Nicola
Your website is so informative and thorough, thank you 🙂 I was wondering if I can leave the bread to sit for longer than 8-10 hours?
Hi Carrie, thank you, that is lovely feedback. If you want to leave the bread for longer than 8-10 hours then you will need to slow down the rise, and this isn’t really recommended for gluten-free bread as the yeasts aren’t as robust as when using gluten grains. If you want to give it a try you will need to keep the rising dough in the tin in a cooler place – 12-15C. Or you can put it into the fridge after it has been rising for 5-6 hours to slow it down. Again not ideal with a gluten-free bread but you are welcome to play around with it. The problem if you leave the dough too long at normal room temp is that it will over-prove (rise) and then collapse into itself with a sunken and gummy baked bread. Not what you want 😉
Hope that helps, Nicola
Dear Nicola, I love how you explain everything in detail and great length to make it easy for readers. You endeavour to answer all the questions and comments, just makes it all the more special. I believe your gluten free bread is a hit. I make sourdough breads since many years using organic spelt, amaranth, rye, millet, buckwhweat – a mix of flours. I find it hard to get brown rice flour that is NOT from China. Where do you you source yours. I prefer organic and from a clean country. I would like to know where you buy all your flours please. Can I use buckwhweat, sorghum, tapioca and millet instead of rice flour? Where do you use the water kefir in this recipe? Thank you warmly.
Hi Manasi, thanks for your lovely message. I do find brown rice flour is best for the gluten-free starter but you can certainly play around the flours you suggested for making the bread. I mill my own rice flour as I need it, look out for Australian grown rice in some supermarkets. As I struggled to find NZ grown GF flours I focus more on long ferment sourdough using NZ grown wheat, rye and spelt in my baking now. You can get NZ grown buckwheat flour from Terrace Farms in Canterbury.
Originally I used the water kefir to kick start making a new GF starter but after more experimenting, I found it wasn’t necessary if using brown rice flour and found it was difficult for some people to source the kefir so I removed it from the recipe.
Happy baking 🙂
Nicola