Hello from Portland Oregon!
Hello! I am new here on the Fresh Loaf as a member, but I have been using this site as a resource for quite a while. When I search for esoteric breadmaking techniques a forum post on this site often comes up. I do only gluten-free baking since I am gluten intolerant. I started out with quick breads and started playing with my own flour blends. It took me several years going without decent bread before I started baking my own gluten-free bread but now after working on some recipes and flour blends for a couple of years I feel I'm getting somewhere. From some really inedible beginnings I have developed a flour blend and process that allows me things I never thought I'd get with GF baking, like laminated pastry dough, baguettes, and oven spring! Here are a few pictures:
I've started to sell my flour mixes commercially under the name Gluten-free Gourmand. I feel like I've come a really long way with my baking, but gluten-free is a really new field and I have a lot to learn still. Here are some things that I'll be working on in the coming months:
- Gluten-free sourdough starter. I have had some success with this but I want to perfect it and figure out the correct ratios for everything. This site has already been very helpful in getting started.
- Getting better and longer rises out of gluten-free bread. Most of my loaves have maxed out at a 30-minute rise, and most recipes don't do well with a second rise. I'm trying to combat that.
- A crisper, thicker crust. I've tried so many of the conventional things! The only thing that works for nice browning is encasing the bread in a hot dutch oven to trap the steam as I cook. I should be able to get that crust crunchier, though.
Basically I feel like I have a good foundation of quick, easy bread recipes but I want to get deeper into making more artisan-style loaves. The flour blend and binder I use allow me to knead the dough and give me good rise, so I think I can go somewhere with that.
Well, that's an intro about me to start. Happy New Year everyone! I'm looking forward to a lot of good baking and sharing in 2013!
Gina (aka the Gluten-free Gourmand)
Your products look good. Ever use rice malt in your breads? I often thought that koji rice might be worth experimenting in a gluten free ferment, but I'm not inclined to try it 'cause I eat wheat and I know from others who have tried that gluten free bread baking is a tough road to travel. You seem to be well on your way, judging from the baguettes you pictured.
Grind - I have never tried rice malt. That might be a helpful dough enhancer and help with getting a good crust. As for rice flour, I typically don't use any in my bread recipes. They just don't rise well. I do like glutinous rice for some things. It's a lot more flexible than other rice flours. I am not familiar with Koji rice but I just looked it up. It would make a lot of sense to experiment with this grain for bread, if it's practical. This is my reasoning with choosing grains to make bread products: pick those that ferment well. Since koji rice is used in other types of fermentation, maybe it would be good for bread, too. Thanks for the idea, and for the compliments on my baguettes!
Happy New Year to you too Gina!
Welcome to TFL; you clearly have some expertise which will be much appreciated on the board here
Best wishes
Andy