Gluten free bread loaf trials

 

Honey & Sesame Artisan Gluten-Free Loaf

Half Batch — First Trial

Adapted from Katarina Cermelj's gluten-free bread method

Makes: 1 small artisan loaf
Bake: Dutch oven
Oven: 450°F → 425°F
Approx. total time: 2½ hours


INGREDIENTS

Flour blend

90 g tapioca starch
90 g millet flour
30 g sorghum flour

Liquid

12.5 g whole psyllium husk
180 g lukewarm water, approximately
4 g instant yeast
5 g salt

Flavor

15 g honey
10 g olive oil
45 g sesame seeds, divided
1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar

MAKE THE DOUGH

Toast the sesame

Put about half of the sesame seeds—roughly 22 g—in a dry skillet over medium heat.

Stir frequently.

Toast until lightly golden and smelling wonderfully nutty, about 3–4 minutes.

Take it off the heat before it gets dark.

Set aside to cool.


Make the psyllium gel

Put 12.5 g psyllium husk in a bowl.

Add 145–150 g of the lukewarm water and whisk immediately.

Let stand 5–10 minutes.

It should become a thick, slippery gel.

Think: thick wallpaper paste.

Not: liquid.

Not: a solid rubber ball.


Mix the dry ingredients

Put the following in the stand mixer bowl:

  • 90 g tapioca
  • 90 g millet
  • 30 g sorghum
  • 4 g yeast
  • 5 g salt
  • toasted sesame

Mix briefly.


Add the wet ingredients

Add:

  • psyllium gel
  • 15 g honey
  • 10 g olive oil
  • 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar

Mix on low until everything comes together.

Then mix on medium for several minutes.

Slowly add the remaining 30–35 g water, stopping when the dough looks right.

THE DOUGH TEST

You want:

soft + sticky + cohesive + slightly elastic

It should hold a mound.

It should not pour like batter.

It should not crumble like cookie dough.

If it feels stiff or dry, add another tablespoon of water.

If it looks frighteningly wet, wait a few minutes before adding flour. The psyllium is still doing its thing.


FIRST RISE

Cover the bowl.

Let rise somewhere comfortably warm for approximately 45–60 minutes.

You are looking for:

puffier + lighter + visibly risen

It does not need to double.


SHAPE

Place parchment on the counter.

Lightly dust with millet flour.

Turn the dough onto the parchment.

Wet your hands.

Gently shape into a small round loaf.

Use a bench scraper to tuck the edges underneath and create a little surface tension.

Don't knead it.

You're shaping, not developing gluten.


SESAME COAT

Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds over the outside.

Gently roll/turn the loaf so the seeds stick.

Place seam-side down on the parchment.


SECOND RISE

Cover loosely.

Let rise approximately 45–60 minutes.

Again, you're looking for puffy and alive, not necessarily doubled.


HEAT THE OVEN

Put your Dutch oven, with the lid on, into the oven.

Preheat to 450°F.

Let the Dutch oven heat for at least 30 minutes after the oven reaches temperature.


BAKE

Carefully place the loaf and parchment into the hot Dutch oven.

Cover.

450°F — 25 minutes

Then:

Remove lid

Reduce to 425°F

Bake another 15–25 minutes

Start checking at 15 minutes.

You're looking for a deeply golden crust and a loaf that feels firm rather than soft.

Because this is a smaller loaf, don't automatically bake it for the same amount of time as a full-size loaf.


THE HARDEST STEP

Take it out.

Put it on a rack.

DO NOT CUT IT YET.

Let it cool for at least 1½–2 hours.

The interior is still setting while it cools.

This is especially important with GF bread.

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