Why Gluten Free Sourdough?

by glutenfreesourd... · More by this author { 2009 June 22 }

Gluten free, dairy free, egg free, yeast free Sourdough Bread!

I created bread and bread recipes to cope with my own multiple food allergies and sensitivities. After mastering and enjoying old fashioned sourdough rye bread I learned I was gluten intolerant and could no longer eat rye. I learned I was also allergic to eggs and dairy products.

Wanting to continue eating bread, I looked at the ingredients in retail gluten free breads and found there was at least one ingredient I needed to avoid in each one. If I was going to be able to eat bread I needed to be able to control the ingredients. I began experimenting with the sourdough techniques I had mastered for the rye bread.

After much trial and error (and I do mean error) here is what I found:

The starter needs to be fed 2-3 times a day rather than once a day.

Unlike my rye starter which had a 7 day fermentation period, gluten free starters would mold after about 5 days and were best to use within 4 days of beginning from scratch.

I used rice flour for the starter, which is rather heavy, the solids sink and the water stays above and sometimes it is hard to tell if the starter is fermenting properly because the bubbles can't move through the thick solids on the bottom. I learned about "boosting" the starter with a small amount of a fermented drink called Water Kefir which decreased the fermentation time minimizing the chance for spoilage.

The starters did not store well in the fridge. I learned to feed them every 2 weeks to keep them alive.

Using these principles I was able to create some fabulous breads and an unexpected bonus was that because it is sourdough, the shelf life is 7-10 days on the counter! unlike other gluten free breads which must be kept frozen to insure freshness.

I make 4 loaves at a time, and freeze 3. When thawed they taste as fresh as the day they were baked!

For my free recipes please go to: glutenfreesourdough.blogspot.com

Thanks and happy gluten free sourdough baking!

Sharon

www.food-medicine.com