Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread

As a mother of a young child, I really appreciate the comments from folks who have already tried these recipes. Not being realy keen on baking and not looking for a challenge, it's nice to know which ones to avoid, and which ones to take on. Thank you!!

This message is for Joyce who says that her bread is not getting done in the center. Here's my suggestion:

You might try removing the bread from the pan and letting it bake on the oven rack for a few minutes longer. In fact, I often turn the oven off and let the bread bake longer (on the rack) as the oven cools. It gives it a nice crust. Depending on how "wet" the bread is when you bake it fully, you can also try removing 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid from the recipe. Add back a tiny bit if the dough seems dry and crumbly as you mix it. Beth Hillson, Food Editor, Living Without

I tried the Sourdough recipe again, and put the bread in two smaller pans. Still did not get done. I do not have a bread machine anymore. Got rid of it. Have tried other gluten free yeast breads, and none get cooked in the middle. Have even left them in the oven for 45 minutes more. Quick breads come out okay. It is only the yeast breads that I have trouble with. Thank you, Joyce P

I made the Gluten - Free Sourdough Bread and it never got done in the middle of the loaf. I had baked it in the right size pan and even left it in a lower degree oven after the 45 minutes at the regular temperature. What goes? Would love to have an answer as I am trying to make this bread for a friend who has Celiac disease. Thanks you, Joyce Polace at rjpolacek@centurytel.net

Our test kitchen director had a suggestion on using a bread machine: Use the "dough setting" (if it has one) to mix and prepare the dough; it is commonly used to make pizza dough. You could try this setting and then put your dough into a hot oven to bake. Make sure it has doubled in size before baking. - Moderator

Comments are monitored daily for technical issues and for questions about recipe accuracy. Unfortunately, we do not have the staff to be able to research and answer every question posted. The comments section is considered to be a place for readers to exchange ideas and give feedback to each other. - Moderator

Does no one monitor these comments and reply to questions?????

I would never throw away the starter...I'd give it to a friend or make pancakes using it.

The way I read this recipe, the sourdough should be "fed" 4 hours before making the bread (or the night before). While this makes an excellent tasting bread, it doesn't taste "sour." It is also somewhat wasteful to throw away a cup of starter in order to feed the starter before making the bread (and then you have to feed it again).

I am going to try using a cup of the unfed starter (and then feed it) to see if that gives me more of the flavor I am wanting for a sourdough. If that doesn't do it, I may try doing a sponge with the starter.

As for the amount of liquid in the starter, it is way too thick without added liquid. I typically add the flour and then the required amount of water, stir and add more until it is a more stir-able consistency (from playdough to canned pumpkin consistency) . I would guess it is about 1-2 tablespoons of water but I don't measure it. It would probably be ok to make it thinner, especially if not planning on using it for a few days, the thing it would primarily mess up would be the flour/liquid ratio in the bread but it doesn't seem to be that picky of a recipe.

I'm not sure that the recipe is for sourdough - after all the starter uses commercial/ industrial yeast. Real sourdough uses a culture of flour and water with naturally occurring yeasts. There are a few websites that discuss making proper starter (see sourdough.com or thefreshloaf.com for methods) I have been using a starter made with 70g organic buckwheat flour and 30g organic brown rice flour. It needs to be grown and cultured over about 2 weeks before it is ready for use (see the method described here: http://sourdough.com/blog/sourdom/beginners-blog-starter-scratch )

My own recipe for GF sourdough uses a gf flour mix I make from buckwheat, brown rice flour and tapioca flour. I don't use sugar, and I only have a few other gf ingredients. I'm still experimenting, but the bread does look and taste like real sourdough bread. Some of my loaves are displayed here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2520218049018.145854.1360316054&type=1&l=9d67aac61f

I am in the middle of using my starter to make the recipe and when I removed the 1 cup of starter, there was hardly any left. I added the warm water and 1 cup rice flour but it made a very stiff dough-like mixture with hardly any moisture in it. I have not discarded the cup of starter yet. Should I add more to the mixture to make it moist? If so, how much? I don't want to go to all of this work to make the loaf of bread and not have it turn out. Pam

If your child can't have cane sugar, can she have beet sugar? It's widely available in the Midwestern part of the US. As for kosher salt...use just a bit less table salt. Kosher salt has larger crystals, so there is slightly less sodium in a measurement.

I don't have a stand mixer or bread machine. Is there any way that I can make this?

i googled for a yeast substitute and found an easy one on a how-to website - i can't post the link, but basically you use fresh baking soda in the amount of the dry yeast, add that LAST to the dry ingredients, : for 1 tablespoon of yeast = 1 tablespoon FRESH baking soda....then add 1 teaspoon lemon juice LAST to the wet ingredients....then proceed as usual. they say it may not be quite as light but it will still be light and good tasting

for yeast substitute this looks easy, hope it helps http://www.howtodothings.com/food-drink/how-to-make-a-yeast-substitute

I don't have a stand mixer; can this be made in my bread machine?

Motherof6: I am sure that you can use other sweeteners in this recipe (such as honey, agave, coconut sugar) as long as there is sugar in it. The yeasts need something to feed on, so sugar substitutes (like stevia, xylitol) will not give the desired result here. Any salt should work fine, and you usually don't have to add extra xanthan gum if your flour mix already has some in it. Hope that helps! Good luck : )

In answer to question from Joy T: When reading the recipe for making the sourdough bread and it states "sourdough starter" click on that and you will be taken to the recipe FOR sour dough starter :)

What is the recipe for the sour dough starter?

I have an allergy to bakers yeast. Though this sourdough bread sounds wonderful, is there a substitution for those who have an allergy to yeast? Thanks.

I have a couple of questions. . .What can you substitute for the 1/4 cup sugar in this recipe? My daughter can't use cane sugars. Also, do I HAVE to use kosher salt? can I use regular table salt? ALSO, I am new at this, that's why the amount and type of questions (I suppose). If the flour I use is gluten free and HAS xanthan gum in it, do I still need to add it to the recipe?

My daughter can't have sugar also. . . What would you recommend to use as a substitute for the 1/4 c sugar in recipe?