The Fresh Loaf

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Gluten Free Turmeric Sourdough with Milk Tangzhong

Abe's picture
Abe

Gluten Free Turmeric Sourdough with Milk Tangzhong

I like to try my hand at many things, as everything can help to improve ones understanding and techniques, so i've been delving into gluten free baking even though I don't need to. Plus, it gives me the chance to try flours which are usually ignored by the gluten tolerant world which I think is a shame. I also have a sister who is a coeliac so no stranger to what they go through. 

Found a lovely recipe which really makes a tasty loaf. However I wished to see if one could increase the more nutritious flours, decrease the nutritionally empty starch and make it a sourdough. Then I also had an idea of using some of this as a starter. Bio-fermented turmeric with live cultures both lactic acid bacteria and yeast. So a plan was formed...

Recipe:

  • 150g fine brown rice flour
  • 150g sweet white sorghum flour
  • 20g corn starch
  • 15g psyllium husk powder
  • 290g water
  • 100g milk
  • 20g bio-fermented turmeric berry juice
  • 8g salt
  • 22g honey

Pre-ferment: Overnight [first mixed the flour and psyllium husk powder together and then took off 50g]

  • 50g flour
  • 20g turmeric juice
  • 30g water

Tangzhong:

  • 20g corn starch
  • 100g milk

Saltolyse: Overnight

  • 265g remainder flour + psyllium husk powder
  • 260g water
  • All of the Tangzhong
  • 8g salt
  • 22g honey

My plan for the next morning was to simply add the preferment, shape and go straight into 'final' proof and bake when ready. However the next morning the preferment had failed to live up to expectations. What to do? 

Well since i'm not doing this because I need to eat gluten free I added one teaspoon of my gluten flour starter to the preferment. Although technically it can't be eaten by someone who is coeliac this is still a 'gluten free' bread for all intense purposes for the experiment. This can be replicated exactly just using a gluten free starter. 

My next problem was I hadn't left myself much time to complete the bake on the day. So I gave the preferment as much time as I could before I had to go onto the final dough allowing for the final proof and bake. Would have preferred to have left it to mature for longer but pushed ahead. Kneaded it into the final dough and shaped. Final proof was 4 hours and then baked. 

Although I was pushed for time and probably jumped the gun the resulting loaf is delicious. Just 20g of the fermented turmeric berry flavour juice imparted a strong colour and flavour. As far as the cutting down of the corn starch and trying to make up for it with the tangzhong that was a resounding success. The crumb is much improved even though the starch is used for texture and moisture. Managed to increase the flours and cut right down on the starch but get a good crumb even with being pushed for time and cutting short the ferment. 

A success! 

happycat's picture
happycat

I like the philosophy driving your experiments. I'd like to incorporate more grains into my bread as well for the flavour experience and I've been wondering about gluten compensations. I like the idea of seeing what an ingredient has to offer vs. using industrialized pure ingredients then adding flavourings after. I also prefer fermented starters for the same reason.

What is the bite like? It looks cakey to me but it also may have been warm when you sliced it, gelling up the crumb a bit.

Abe's picture
Abe

...helps form the structure. The starch helps with moisture and texture. Since gluten free grains lack gluten which as well as structure gives it moisture and a texture you'll find many gluten free breads have a high percentage of starches added as well as other improvers. My aim is to keep it nutritious without relying on these empty starches. Psyllium husk powder is just fibre which is fine imo. 

The dough itself has an interesting feel to it. The psyllium husk powder does a good job of holding it together and it allows for a much greater absorption of water. The starches, when baking, gel and add texture. However when reducing the corn starch and using it in the milk tangzhong I got away without having to add a lot more starch the original recipe calls for. It sort of does that inside the bread when baking but this way was so much more efficient with better results and with less starch. Doing the saltolyse overnight also gave it time to absorb the water and getting a better crumb. 

Let's face it... gluten free breads will never have the same crumb as gluten breads. However, different doesn't have to mean bad. This crumb is very comparable to a very soft white bread. It's almost creamy. Other attempts at gluten free was more gummy and crumbly. This is much better. Toasts up amazing well too. 

At first when cutting it it's kinda gummy on the knife but that is the nature of gluten free and it improves after a day or two like rye. But the mouth feel is not gummy at all. Also don't forget it's not perfectly fermented to my liking due to the false start of the preferment. It was rushed in the end. That can be improved upon. But still it's a nice result. 

BTW I didn't mention it but these breads bake for a long time. This was about 1 hour 30 minute - 1 hour 40 mins at 220°C. 1 hour in pan/supported and the remainder freestanding till ready. 

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

Looks like a great start to this method Abe!  Any reason to think the Tangzhong wouldn't work with other starches?  I do like that it's absent the gums, starches, and modified starches like the other GF flour mixes I've tried so far.

Am I doing the math correctly and this was 116% hydration?  If so, did you handle it like a batter bread or is this flour blend that thirsty?

Abe's picture
Abe

When it comes to a tangzhong I would think any starch will do. One thing that puts me off gluten free or indeed even so called healthier bread options that are store bought is what they do to otherwise perfectly good flour to make up for it being gluten free or wholegrain. 

Using fine flour and psyllium husk powder makes this a thirsty dough. Giving it an overnight saltolyse plus the gelled starch all contributes to it bring able to hold all that liquid. 

BTW hydration including the psyllium husk powder as 'flour' and honey as 'liquid' comes in at around 129%. Not sure what the rules are with these types of ingredients. 

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

You’ve piqued my interest.  Might have to give this method a try soon.

Benito's picture
Benito

Well done Abe, I’ve never tried baking anything gluten free but I recognize the challenges of it.  The crumb of your loaf looks like a nicely fermented rye which is a great result.

Benny

Abe's picture
Abe

It is nice to be able to try all these different grains. This method made a most interesting gluten free bread with a texture of a soft rye loaf. Think I can improve it further next time by sticking to a regular starter build and having enough time to complete the bread properly without having to rush.