Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free English Muffins

These gluten-free English muffins, made with a wild yeast starter,  have a nice sour tang. They are full of “nooks and crannies” and have a wonderful crumb.  They will hold your favorite toppings.  My favorite topping is cream cheese. The muffin is delicious as a breakfast egg muffin with bacon and cheese.  They are also good toasted with cheddar cheese.  I found them to be wonderful with lettuce, tomato, cheese, bacon and Boar's Head bologna. (The bologna is gluten free). These split gluten-free English muffins make a quick base for a mini pizza.

The best part of the these English muffins - they don't cause a blood sugar spike.  Read here about other reasons to eat sourdough.  I converted my original English muffins into sourdough English Muffins. The recipe techniques I used in making English muffins came from Alton Brown.

This site helped me experiment to find the best proportions of sourdough starter and the gluten-free flour blend.  Though the recipe on the site used one gluten-free flour, I decided to use a flour blend because the starches in a blend help make a better crumb. Also, I find the wild yeast perform better with some starch. I added the flaxseed meal and the Seed Dust with psyllium to make the English muffins more nutritious.  The hydrocolloids help the bread crumb and help bind the ingredients.

There are quite a few discussions about using the hydrocolloids - chia, flaxseed and psyllium.  Some research indicates that they are good substitutes for gums.  Other research concludes the gums are much better in trapping the carbon dioxide for making bread rise.

The dough to make the sponge is slightly thick and stiff.  Whisk lots of air into the

batter to help the wild yeast and lactobacilli complete their symbiotic relationship.

The dough is too stiff to use a hand wire whisk.The Danish dough whisk does the 

job perfectly.This job can also be done with a stand mixer with the wire whisk 

attachment.

It takes 7-12 hours to form a sponge.  I let the dough rise 10 hours.  The wild yeast were doing their thing; the starches were being predigested by the bacteria and forming probiotics.  The yeast was busy making carbon dioxide for the rising.  Enzymes were cleaving the proteins into amino acids.  I would have waited 12 hours but I wanted to bake the muffins before going to bed. The sourdough batter had a very nice sponge so I thought the dough might be ready.  Read here about the interesting science of sourdough.

These English muffins can be baked using the oven technique; they will have a dome. They can also be cooked in the traditional way, a griddle, and then they need to be placed in the oven to make sure they cook thoroughly without the top and bottom getting too dark. I personally like using my electric skillet -- so easy!  I can't seem to control the baking process in a griddle.  I do bake them for 10 minutes in the oven.  I test for doneness with an instant thermometer which should read about 205℉.

Sourdough English Muffins Baking in a Skillet After Being Flipped.

In the above picture, the English muffins cooking in the four corners are formed with purchased muffin rings.  The ring in the middle is from a set I made from aluminum foil.  The instructions for making muffin rings are here.  My handmade English muffin rings have lasted for a year. I wash both set of rings and dry them in a warm oven to make sure they do not rust.  I have several handmade rings that are a little larger.  They are used to make English muffin bases for pizza.  It will make two pizzas when split with a fork.  I store the handmade rings, folded in a small plastic container. I store the purchased rings in the original box so they don't dent.

Sourdough with wild yeast does it's best rising at 78℉.  I have found a trick that helps.  I heat water in a glass mixing pitcher in the microwave; then place the bowl of sourdough over the pitcher.  I have a top from a grocery store vegetable tray that fits over the bowl. I cut out slots on the plastic top so that it fits over the bowl's pour-handles. The setup is left in the microwave.  When the water cools, remove the bowl of dough and repeat the process of heating the water. 

Sourdough English Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup (176-240grams) sourdough starter
2 - 21/2 cups (232 grams) gluten-free flour blend* (see below)
1/4 - 1/2 cup (59-188 grams) water
1 tablespoon (21.25 grams) honey
-----------------------------
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flax meal
1 tablespoon seed dust with psyllium
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

For 1-2 minutes, whisk (with Danish dough whisk or spoon) the sourdough starter, gluten-free flour blend, 1/4 - 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon honey.  Add the water a little at a time so not to over hydrate the batter. Cover and let sit at room temperature at least 7 hours or overnight so all the flours are fermented, the phytate is degraded, and probiotics are formed.

Just before the fermentation is complete, place the muffin rings in the griddle or skillet.  Spray the muffin rings and sprinkle the insides with gluten-freecorn meal. Turn the stove or electric skillet to warm.  (See below if using the oven to make the English muffins)

When the fermentation is complete, sprinkle flax meal and seed dust on dough.

Combine oil, salt and egg in separate small bowl. With Danish dough whisk, combine the liquids into the dough mixture.  Add the baking powder and baking soda.  It will begin bubbling.

Fill the muffin rings 2/3 full of batter.  Smooth the tops flat using fingers and water.  (Don't worry if you feel the dough is too wet - the dough will absorb it.) Sprinkle with cornmeal.

Heat griddle to 270°F - 275°F.  Placing the lid on skillet will help the muffin tops set. Bake 10 minutes, until the top is barely set and bottom surface is nicely browned. Flip the muffins and cook an additional 10 minutes. Remove muffins from rings and transfer to a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to cook completely. The temperature with an instant thermometer should be about 205℉.  Important! Let cool before splitting in half and toasting.

Oven Method:  Line a 13"x9" baking pan  (or larger) with parchment paper.  Place 5-6 muffin rings on the pan. Spray the insides of the rings with cooking spray and sprinkle with gluten-free cornmeal.  Fill the muffin rings 2/3 full of batter.  smooth the tops flat using fingers and water.  Sprinkle with cornmeal.  Bake at 350℉ for 20-25 minutes.  The muffins can be tested for doneness with an instant thermometer.  The temperature should be about 205℉.  Remove from oven to cooling racks and remove the muffin rings. Let cool before splitting in half and toasting.

Sourdough Egg, Cheese and Bacon English Muffin

Update:

English Muffin Loaf

Found that this recipe for English muffins can be used to make sourdough loaf bread. One day I made the dough but got interruped. I didn't have time to get out the electric skillet and make the muffins. Waiting another day would leave the dough to sour another day, which I didn't want. I quickly preheated the oven to 375℉.  I put it in a dough in a 3.5-in x 7.5-in pan, which I sprayed only the bottom of the pan with cooking spray. It baked for about 35 minutes, or until it reached an internal temperature of  about 205℉ with an instant read thermometer.

It makes a beautiful tender small loaf. It is made using the exact recipe for the English muffins, including making the sourdough sponge. I let the sponge do its thing for 7-8 hours before adding the final ingredients. I have made this half dozen times and it turned out great every time.

The loaf makes wonderful little toasted sandwiches. I also like to toast a slice and spread it with cream cheese. To keep over a couple days, I slice it, separate the slices with pieces parchment paper, put it in a zipper freezer bag and put in the freezer.

Toasted ham & cheese sandwich using sourdough loaf

Freezing the loaf. This is about 3/4 of the loaf. The parchment
keeps the slices from sticking to each other.

     --------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The flour blend used:
2 cups (246grams) sorghum flour
3 cups (360 grams) oat flour
1 ½ cups (255 grams) potato starch
½ cup (63 grams) tapioca flour
½ cup (60 grams) amaranth flour
½ cup (60 grams) quinoa flour

Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough Wraps, Waffles & Pancakes
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Basic Sourdough Bread #1


References and Resources:

"Better Bread Starts with a Sponge." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/better-bread-starts-with-a-sponge/2013/02/04/86ad2460-69a4-11e2-af53-7b2b2a7510a8_story.html>

"English Muffins Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network." English Muffins Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/english-muffins-recipe.html>

"Gluten-free Sourdough Oat English Muffins." Gluten-free Sourdough Oat English Muffins. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://www.culturesforhealth.com/gluten-free-sourdough-oat-english-muffin-recipe>

"Pixie Dust Xanthan Gum Replacer." GlutenFree Doctor. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://glutenfreedoctor.com/pixie-dust-xanthan-gum-replacer/>

"Sourdough Home - Yeasted English Muffin Bread." Sourdough Home - Yeasted English Muffin Bread. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=bakingintro2#ruleof240>

"The Gluten-Free-Bread Baking-with-Psyllium-Husks-Powder Test." My Gluten Free Table. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://mygluten-freetable.com/2014/04/the-gluten-free-bread-baking-with-psyllium-husks-powder-test/>

"Top 10 Reasons To Eat Real Sourdough Bread -- Even If You're Gluten Intolerant - CHEESESLAVE." CHEESESLAVE RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2014. <http://www.cheeseslave.com/top-10-reasons-to-eat-real-sourdough-bread-even-if-youre-gluten-intolerant/>


Disclosure statement:  I have not received compensation for any products mentioned in this site.

Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Soft Wraps, Waffles and Pancakes

Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter in Refrigerator

The gluten-free sourdough starter is still doing its work.  That symbiotic relationship of bacteria and yeast continues to prevail.  At this moment of writing the starter is resting in the refrigerator.  In the photo, you can actually see the whole grains of teff, buckwheat, and amaranth flours. While in the fridge, the starter gets a weekly slurry of 1/4 cup starter flour blend and 1/4 cup filtered water, just enough to keep it alive.

I have a dehydrator and at some point, I will try drying part of the starter.  Though a dehydrator is not mandatory, it probably will make the process faster and assure the dryness of the starter.  Since I really like this starter, having a dried specimen will insure that I can always have this exact starter, should something happen to the original.  Also, a dried sourdough starter is an excellent way to share a starter with someone. This is one way to dry the starter and reactivate it.

Sourdough Chemistry

Gluten-free sourdough products are important for the gluten-free diet and for a low-sugar, lower-carb diet.  The yeast and bacteria in the starter help digest the carbohydrates in the dough.  This does not limit the calories but the carbohydrates have been predigested, thus not causing a spike in blood sugar.  True sourdough bread is fermented for a long time and produces probiotic organisms, as does plain yogurt, aged cheese, sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir and other fermented foods.

The lactic acid in bread fermentation also reduces the phytic acid in the grains and seeds.  The phytic acid, not digestable by humans, is reduced by fermentation and stops some of the chelating of the vitamins and minerals.  (Vitamins and minerals actually bind with the phytic acid in standard bread).  Fermentation helps improve the release of minerals and vitamins available for the body.  The long process produces enzymes which breaks down proteins into amino acids which are good for our bodies.

Some websites state that the sourdough baking process destroys the enzymes, probiotics and yeast cells of sourdough bread.  Most probiotic bacteria are killed at 150℉.  Yeast is destroyed at 140℉.  Enzymes are deactivated at a dry heat of 118℉ and a wet heat of 150℉.  More research needs to be done because the summary of this study indicates that heat killed probiotics can significantly improve a sick gut.  This study shows the same results with live and killed probiotics.

Fermentation is a metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases and alcohol.  Fermentation consists of several reactions with the transportation of electrons. There is interesting chemistry occurring in the dough.

The chemical reaction of fermentation is seen below, very much simplified:

Yeast Reaction:
C6H12O6 (glucose) → 2 C2H5OH (ethanol) + 2 CO2 (carbon dioxide) 

Chemistry students refer to this as a decomposition reaction.  The carbon dioxide provides the bubbles in the bread which causes the bread to rise.  The ethanol is burned off in the baking .


Bacteria Reaction:
C6H12O6 (glucose) → 2 CH3CHOHCOOH (lactic acid)     

Chemistry students refer to this as an oxidation/reduction reaction.  With the help of other products, glucose is reduced to lactic acid and energy. This reaction creates the sour taste of the bread and the acid limits other types of bacteria from forming. 



Sourdough Starters at Work


My starter is being used to bake loaves of bread, muffins, waffles, pancakes, and muffins and soft wraps.  There are still many other uses for the starter in other breads and desserts which I have yet to explore.  Some of the recipes have been learning experiences; there are lots of bread crumbs and bread cubes in my freezer.  

There is always something to learn.  I had to experiment with several gluten-free flour blends that would work nicely with the sourdough starter I chose to use.  I've made seveal adjustments so that my sourdough starter and my flour blend worked together. The sourdough starter is a whole grain starter.  I found that using a rather mild all-purpose gluten-free flour blend worked much better and had a more pleasing taste.  You may have to experiment also, unless you use a commercial flour blend and purchased starter.

Using the Baker's Percentage for Sourdough

Just for the experience, I have attempted to use the Baker's Percentage for the batter for wraps, waffles and pancakes.  The baker's Percentage calculates the 4 main ingredients in the bead recipe.  This site, this site and many other sites explain how and why the Baker's Percentage is used.

The calculation begins with the mass of the flour used at 100%.  Yes,  the total amount of the ingredients will be greater than 100%.  To calculate the other 3 ingredients the following formula will be used:

baker's percentage (ingredient) =   100% x   Mass (ingredient)

                                                               Mass (flour)

Commercial bakers use this formula so that their are no failures in the baking process.  Each kind of bread has its own ingredient percentages.  If the percentages of each ingredient are calculated with the flour being 100%, the percentages can predict whether the bread recipe will bake correctly.  The main concern is the hydration - the amount of liquid compared to the amount of flour.  

For example, French bread would have a lower percentage of liquid (hydration) than pancakes.  Gluten pancakes would be expected to have a hydration greater than 70% where gluten French bread hydration would be about 60%.  Any gluten bread greater with hydration more than 70% is difficult to knead.  Gluten-free breads need a hydration of about 80%-100% and usually cannnot be kneaded.  

So why do I care about the baker's percentage?  It would be nice to convert some of my pre-gluten intolerant recipes and pre-diabetes recipes to sourdough. The baker's percentage can help convert gluten-free bread recipes to sourdough.  It's going to take some algebraic conversions, some experimenting and patience -- like a scientific laboratory in the kitchen.  Might be fun. (Wonder if there is a grant to financially support it?)

Baker's Percentage of Gluten-Free Soft Wraps

The bakers's percentage of the wraps in the next recipe is:
Flour is 143 grams  with 100%

Starter is 181 g is 127%
(181/143) x 100 =  127   It is 1/2 water and 1/2 flour  ( 63.5 g water and 63.5 grams flour)

Salt is is 3 grams 2%
(3/143) x 100 =  2

Seed-psyllium Dust is 16 grams 11%
(16/143) x 100 =  .11

Eggs are 171 g = 120%
(171/143) x 120 =      It is 1/4 solid and 3/4 liquid  (30% is solid and 90% is liquid)

Milk is 375 g = 254%    
(363/143) x 100 = 254

Hydration = 196%
The hydration is calculated from the milk, half of the starter and 3/4 of eggs.

The calculation means that the hydration of this recipe would produce a very thin batter. Since the hydration is rather high so we would expect the batter to be a very loose batter. The seed-psyllium dust is made from hydrocolloids. They absorb a lot of liquid so the batter doesn't seem to be very loose after whisking the batter.  And, the hydrocolloids absorb more water as they sit in the batter.  That is the reason the directions for the wraps instruct to add more liquid, if needed, to the resting batter while cooking the wraps.  When pouring the batter in the skillet, the batter has to have the ability to spread in the pan.

L's Gluten-Free Sourdough Soft Wraps

I used my soft wrap recipe and converted the recipe to sourdough.  It bubbles and slightly rises as it cooks.  I found that this recipe will have small air holes on the top of the batter but the holes do not go through the bottom.  The recipe needs no baking powder or baking soda.  The sourdough does its job.

The wrap should be pliable when removed from the skillet.  If cooked until crispy, the wrap will be difficult to roll without the edges breaking.  The cooked wrap can be used at room temperature or it can be warmed in a skillet when ready to use. A gluten-free wrap might lose pliability if warmed in the microwave.  If you would rather have a sweeter wrap or use it as a crepe, sweetener can be added to the batter.

I don't use rice flour, but many of you do.  I would think that rice flour could be used as a substitute for the millet, quinoa and bean flours.  Some don't like the flavor of the bean flours but they help with the stretch of the dough.  Rice flour should provide that same property, if you choose to use it.

Many gluten-free bakers, including myself, are switching to flaxseed meal, milled chia seeds and phylliium powder rather than xanthan gum and guar gum. It is more nutritious and has the same properties as the gums. I really like the seed dust.  The recipe I use originally came from Dr. Jean Layton at this site.


Seed Dust with Psyllium Powder**

20 grams Golden Flaxseeds or Brown Flaxseeds
10 grams Chia Seeds
15 grams  Psyllium Powder (Find gluten-free at Walgreens or CVS)

Grind all of the seeds in a coffee grinder until floury.  It will have a feathery texture. Add the psyllium powder and combine.  Keep the dust in an airtight container in refrigerator or freezer.

1 tablespoon seed dust = 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum

           *******************************************************************

Wraps:   Yield:  6-8 wraps

1/2 cup (82 grams) potato starch                    

1/4 cup (30 grams) bean flour

2 tablespoons (6 grams)  millet flour                             

2 tablespoons (15 grams) quinoa flour                         

1 cup (176 grams) sourdough starter (or your starter)                            

2 tablespoons (16 grams) seed-phyllium dust                            
1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt                                                    

3 large eggs, beaten                                                     

1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups (375 grams if 2%) milk of choice, liquid whey, or water  (divided)                                                     

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk the potato starch, bean flour, millet flour, and quinoa flour until it is uniform in color.  Add the sourdough starter and enough of the milk to make a batter the consistency of cake batter.  (It usually takes about 1 cup of milk.)  Cover the bowl and place in a warm place for 4-6 hours to become foamy, bubbly and light. The longer it sits and bubbles, the more healthy and nutritious it becomes.  Sometimes I place the bowl over a glass or ceramic bowl of hot water and place in the microwave or oven to bubble and rise.  It can also rise in the refrigerator or counter for 12 -24 hours.  

2.  When the batter is ready, sprinkle the seed-psyllium dust on top of the sourdough mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the salt, egg, and remaining milk together.  Whisk, 1-2 minutes, the egg mixture and remaining milk into the sourdough mixture. Whisking will help incorporate air in the batter and help make the wraps lighter.

3.  Preheat the skillet over medium heat. Whisk the batter again. If it has thicken, whisk in a couple tablespoons milk or water.  Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into a 9-in skillet and swirl the batter to cover the bottom of the skillet.  (If the batter does not swirl over the bottom of pan, add another tablespoon more liquid to the batter).  Cover the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes until the bottom is just golden brown and the top of the wrap is set. Flip the wrap and cook another 1-2 minutes.  Cool the wrap on a wire rack. 

4.  Repeat with the remaining batter, stirring the batter each time.  If the batter becomes thick, whisk another tablespoon of liquid into batter.

Chicken Salad with a GF Sourdough Wrap & Pickled Carrots

5.  Wraps can be stored in the refrigerator in a zippered bag with parchment paper between each wrap.  They may be frozen, also.

6.  The wraps can be eaten at room temperature or reheated in a skillet. Reheating in a microwave will make them tough.  Fill with your favorite filling, roll and eat.

Sourdough Waffles and Pancakes

These waffles are light, crispy and have good flavor.  They can be used any way that regular waffles are used. These waffles are great with butter and syrup of choice.  I can almost taste them with ice cream and chocolate or caramel syrup. Remember, if made correctly, they do not cause a spike in blood sugar.

These waffles freeze nicely.  If I was going to free them, I would double the recipe.  To crisp and warm them up after freezing, pop them in the toaster or toaster oven.

Waffle Ingredients:

1 cup sourdough starter (or your starter)

1 cup milk of choice (2% is 242 grams; coconut milk is 230 grams;  almond milk is 240g)

1 cup (122 grams) Linda's gluten-free all-purpose flour blend* (or any blend that works)

1 tablespoon honey (21.25grams) or sugar

1 tablespoon (10grams)seed dust with psyllium powder**

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspon baking soda

1 tablespoon olive oil (15grams)  ( or oil of choice)

1 large egg ( or egg substitute) 

Directions:

1. Mix the sourdough starter, milk, sugar and gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in a medium size bowl . Cover the bowl with towel and let it sit to bubble and make a sponge 4 - 6 hours, or even 12-24 hours.  If needed in less time, fit the bowl over another bowl of hot water and let sponge form. Remember, the longer the sourdough batter sits and bubbles, the more nutritious it becomes.

2. When the sponge has formed, beat the egg, salt and oil together. Whisk the egg mixture into the sponge for 1-2 minutes.  Add the baking soda. The batter will become bubbly.

3.  Heat a non-stick waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Use a non-stick spray on the waffle iron to help the gluten-free waffle release from the pan.  

4.  Pour 1/4 - 1/3 cup batter in each well.  Every brand of waffle iron is different so practice until you know the correct amount to use.  It may even take 1/2 cup, if the wells are large. It takes longer to cook a gluten-free waffle so carefully watch the cooking time. Remove when golden brown and crisp.

5.  Keep the waffles crisp and warm by placing on cooling rack in a 200℉ oven. Serve with butter and syrup or jam or preserves or fruit. Other ways to serve waffles can be found here and here.  Waffles aren't just for breakfast anymore.

To make pancakes (using waffle recipe):

Make the pancakes using the waffle recipe.  When adding the baking soda, the pancakes will immediately bubble.  Blueberries or other fruit would be great folded in at this point or the blueberries can be dropped on the pancake while it is cooking.  If the blueberries are frozen, do not thaw.  They will thaw while the pancake is cooking.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium high heat.  Add a small amount of oil of choice in pan. Even if the pan is non-stick, the pancakes will release better if wiped with an oiled paper towel.  (Gluten-free pancakes seem to stick more than pancakes made with gluten).

Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup  batter in the hot griddle or skillet.  The pancake will bubble on the top. When the  bottom is golden brown, flip the pancake. If the top is not firming fast enough, cover with lid 1 minute or until the batter is set and the edges are set. (It takes longer to cook sourdough pancakes because there is more water in the batter.)

     

                                 

Serve with butter and syrup or any of these ways.

*Gluten-free All-purpose Flour Blend

1 1/2 (180 g)  cups oat flour

1 cup (123 g) sorghum flour

1 1/2 cups (188 g) cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup (58 g) corn flour (masa harina)

122 grams/cup

          *******************************************************
Make It Sourdough - The Gluten-Free Starter
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Basic Sourdough Bread #1

Resources:

"At What Temperature Are Food enzymes Destroyed." The Healthy Home Economist. N.p., n.d.Web. o6 June 2014 <http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/at-what-temperature-are-food-enzymes-destroyed/>

"Baker Percentage." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 May 2014. Web. 06 June 2014.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_percentage>

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Harmon, Wardeh. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fermenting Foods. New York: Alpha, 2012. Print.

Hawkins, Jessie. The Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread: Unlocking the Mysteries of Grains, Gluten and Yeast. Franklin, TN: Thistle Publications, 2012. Print.

Kane, Sharon A. Art of Gluten-free Sourdough Baking: Blending an Old World Sourdough Technique with Allergen-friendly Ingredients. McHenry, IL: Printed by Corporate Disk, 2011. Print.

"Living With Phytic Acid." Weston A Price. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2014.<http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/living-with-phytic-acid/>

"Managing Your Sourdough Starter." Bread Making Videos RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2014.<http://www.breadtopia.com/sourdough-starter-management/>

"Philosophy of Bread with No Gluten." The Fresh Loaf. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2014.<http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/28469/philosophy-bread-no-gluten>

"Saturday Brunch Idea:  Fabulous Ways to Serve Pancakes." Momlink. The Sential. The Associated Press. Web 20 April 2014
<http://cumberlink.com/momlink/whats_cooking/saturday-brunch-idea-fabulous-ways-to-serve-pancakes/article_f4be4384-8afd-11e1-9b77-0019bb2963f4.html>

Tar. Temperatures for Yeast Bread Production (n.d.): n. pag. Web.<http://www.homebaking.org/PDF/Temperature_for_Yeast_Bread_Production.pdf>

"The World of Gluten-Free Bread." : Using The Baker’s Percentage and Bread Hydration for Gluten  Free Bread. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2014
<http://theworldofglutenfreebread.blogspot.com/2013/08/using-bakers-percentage-and-bread.html>

"Top 10 Reasons To Eat Real Sourdough Bread -- Even If You're Gluten Intolerant - CHEESESLAVE." CHEESESLAVE RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June <2014.http://www.cheeseslave.com/top-10-reasons-to-eat-real-sourdough-bread-even-if-youre-gluten-intolerant/ .

"What Is the Ideal Hydration for Bread Dough?" - Seasoned Advice. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2014 <http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/15913/what-is-the-ideal-hydration-for-bread-dough>

"Wild Yeast." Drying a Starter. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2014. <http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2009/05/06/drying-a-starter/>

Dry Onion Soup Mix

Ever wanted to use a recipe calling for Lipton's Dry Onion Soup/Dip Mix and then, realize that you don't have it or forgot to get it.  This recipe for Dry Onion Soup/Dip Mix can be adapted or adjusted to your need.  You can use more or less ingredients or more or less of the amounts of the ingredients.

I used to keep packages of Lipton's Dry Onion Soup/Dip in the pantry. I used it for making dips, hamburgers, meat loaf, roasted potatoes, quick spaghetti sauce, slow cooker roast beef and many other recipes.   For a long time, the original dry mix was gluten free.  But Lipton changed their recipe and included a yeast extract from barley as an ingredient.  Unilver, which makes Lipton products, states that it is made in a facility that processes milk, eggs, soy, wheat, sesame seeds and sulfites.  That makes the Lipton's Dry Onion Soup/Dip Mix cross-contaminated from ingredients which can cause allergic reactions or intolerant gluten reactions.  As stated on the back of the box, these are the ingredients:

Onions (deyhydrated), salt, cornstarch, onion powder, sugar, corn          syrup, hydrolyzed soy protein, caramel color, partially      hydrogenated soybean oil, monosodium glutamate, autolyzed      yeast extract (barley), natural flavors, disodium inosinate,       disodium guanylate and sulfur dioxide.      Made in a facility that processes milk, eggs, soy, wheat, sesame       and sulfites.

The critical ingredients for the dry onion soup mix are dried minced onion, beef bouillon powder, onion powder, crushed celery seed and sugar. It can be made solely with those ingredients. There are many good Copycat recipes for Lipton's Dry Onion Soup/Dip mix but I thought something was lacking in them which hinted -- this is not Lipton's.

Of course, I'll just have to get over the corn syrup and caramel color which means it won't be as sweet and will be a lighter color.  There is new research on caramel coloring  but still not conclusive that it causes cancer in humans.  The disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are for savory and meaty flavor.  Those can be replaced with powdered broth and spices.  The sulfur dioxide is used for preservation and longer shelf-life. Since huge amounts are not being made by us, preservation will not be a problem.

So to the kitchen I went. Since my diet has to be gluten free, I started with gluten-free dehydrated diced onions.  Herb Ox bouillon from Hormel Foods is gluten-free and gives the meaty flavor.  (If you don't have to worry about the gluten, any dried bouillon brand you like will do as well as any brand of dehydrated onions.)   The spices used to substitute for the flavorings are onion powder, celery salt, paprika, ground black pepper, parsley flakes and a small amount of turmeric for the earthy taste. The turmeric also adds color.  The savory spices are garlic powder, cumin and Old Bay Seasoning.  Corn syrup can be replaced with sugar or a sugar substitute of choice.


Linda's Version of Dried Onion Soup/Dip Mix

• 1 ½ cups dried minced onion (gluten-free if needed)
• ⅔ cup beef bouillon powder (gluten-free if needed)
• 2 ½ tablespoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar or the equivalent of a sugar substitute
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

Change any combination and amounts of the ingredients you like.  Experiment to find what you like.  Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. About 4-5 tablespoons equals a single 1¼-ounce package of Lipton's mix.

Make It Sourdough - The Gluten-Free Starter

Gluten Free Whole Grain Sourdough Starter

The above sourdough starter was made with a a blend of gluten-free flours and warm filtered water, nothing added to encourage the fermenting process.  (The recipe can be seen below). The starter has a doughy and yeasty aroma -- great!  It is a little over 2 months old. 

Sourdough bread is made by fermenting dough.  Remember the symbiotic relationships you learned in biology?   Naturally occurring strains of lactobacilli and yeast work together to make the starter. Done properly, the bread has a tangy to sour taste with a hard crust.  It's texture is somewhat like French bread.

The Food Science of Sourdough Starter

When flour and water are combined and left to ferment, natural enzymes in the flour break down the starch to glucose.  The yeast uses the glucose as food and gives off by-products which the bacteria can use.  The bacteria then gives off by-products which the yeast can metabolize and produce carbon dioxide.  The carbon dioxide then helps the bread rise. The lactobacilli in the dough produces acetic acid, which gives sourdough bread its mild sour taste. The long natural fermenting process of water and flour, without any additives, will produce a starter. The sourdough starter is then used to leaven and flavor bread.

The starter of flour and water will usually live as the maintenance of feeding occurs either on the countertop or in the refrigerator.  The feeding and temperature help keep a balance between the bacteria and yeast, thus becoming and remaining a balanced and stable sourdough starter. That symbiotic relationship is very important for the sourdough starter.  If it fails, the sourdough starter will die, sour too much and will have a rotten smell. The starter then must be discarded and started again.

Research is showing that sourdough breads are better for diabetics and celiacs because the fermenting process improves digestability and lowers the glycemic index of wheat  flour (and some gluten-free flours.)  This research states that fermenting lowers the glycemic index of sorgham and teff flours.  Even though research is showing that the fermenting of wheat flour improves the digestability and glycemic index of the flour, those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance should not eat wheat sourdough breads, for now.

Differing Opinions on Making Sourdough Starters

The opinions for making sourdough starters are endless.  If you research, explore and experiment making sourdough starter, you will find your easiest and favorite way to make it. If you don't succeed the first time, try again using the same method or try another method. I found I prefer the simple, nothing extra added, method.  Your choice could be different.  Use your choice of methods, as long as you get a good tasting and lasting starter. If done correctly, a sourdough starter should take only a little attention after the starter is balanced and working.

In the past, I used wheat flour to make the sourdough, but those days are gone  I now have to go the gluten-free route.  Several authors and bakers state that gluten-free starters are more difficult to make and sustain. Several bakers state that it is best made only with rice flour, white or brown.  Other authors are a little more lenient in the flour they say must be used.  I do not make it with rice flour because rice flour has a high glycemic index and it also contains a higher percentage of arsenic.

I feel I have to be careful in stating whether to use wild yeast or commercial yeast when making a sourdough starter.  I found collecting wild yeast relatively easy because I have made bread for years.  The Joy of Cooking cookbook states that making a sourdough starter is easier with wild yeast organisms if yeast baking has often occurred in the kitchen.  The wild yeast are plentiful in the air where yeast baking has occurred. The Joy of Cooking recommended using commercial yeast if little to no yeast baking had occurred in the kitchen.  Sharon Kane, The Art of Gluten-Free Sourdough Baking, says that commercial baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), a more powerful yeast, can't be fermented completely as wild yeast (Saccharomyces exiguous) can.  Bob delGrosso states that a simple starter of water and flour can last for a very long time if maintained correctly.

Some bakers disagree with the idea that wild yeast is in the air.  Some state that yeast is naturally on the grains of the flour. Some state that the white film on a grape is yeast.  Some encourage using whole grapes, cabbage leaves, water kefir, or kumbucha to help the yeast grow.  Once the yeast  is established, the cabbage leaves or grapes are removed from the starter. Sharon A. Kane in The Art of Gluten-Free Sourdough Baking uses water kefir to get the starter fermenting quicker.  She says there are fewer failures making the starter with water kefir. She also believes that a gluten-free starter should be made fresh with every loaf -- since she can make a starter in three days using water kefir.  She also thinks that a gluten-free starter gets weaker with each use.  Jessie Hawkins, The Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread, does not share that opinion. She is a purist when making sourdough starter. She states that to get all the nutrition and healthy benefits from sourdough, it should be prepared with wild yeast as it was before the production of baker's yeast in the late 1800's,

There is a theory by some researchers that fruits and vegetables, such as potatoes,  have specific bacteria that produce lactic acid which cause the fermentation to occur quicker.  That same bacteria creates sauerkraut. I find that the natural fermentation will occur in about 5-7 days without the fruit or vegetables. I agree with Bob delGrosso that feeding the starter is the most important part of starting and keeping a healthy and balanced starter.  I like this experiment, by Bob, using the scientific method.  I think he was disappointed that he was unable to prove his hypothsis. He was not able to make a definite conclusion about not using cabbage with a sourdough starter.

Gluten-free sourdough starter is different from gluten sourdough starter.  Gluten-free sourdough starter needs to be feed twice a day whereas gluten starter is fed once a day. It, also, takes much more starter to bake gluten-free sourdough bread. For most gluten-free sourdough bread recipes, the dough is half starter and half gluten-free flour. Most wheat versions use a ratio of 1part starter to 3 or 4 part flour.) These two facts would be a reason to make a larger amount of the flour blend used in the starter mix.

Making the Sourdough Starter

My sourdough starter mix uses this flour blend:

97 grams (1 cup) teff flour
97 grams (1 cup) buckwheat flour   } or 290 grams of one in this group ( I used all three as written)
97 grams (1 cup) amaranth flour

290 grams (2 cup) sorghum flour
290 grams (2 1/3 cup) millet flour
145 grams (1 cup) oat flour
229 grams (1 3/4 cup) bean flour  } can be one kind or combination of bean flours

I've included the conversion for cups of flour but the more accurate measurement is grams. The conversions will give a smaller amount of the flour blend because I didn't include the extra teaspoons and tablespoons of flour needed for the accurate conversions.   (It took some time to convince myself to use a metric scale but I found using a scale is much easier and faster than using volume measuring.)

When I make the above flour blend, I double the ingredients. Doubling the recipe gives a huge amount of flour blend but the starter needs to be fed everyday when on the counter; the flour will be used up quickly.  If you would rather use other flours, check out these substitutions.  If you like, brown rice flour can be substituted for the teff, buckwheat, and amaranth flours.

Whisk all the flours together.  The flour blend should be one color after it is combined.  Store in an airtight container and use it when making the sourdough starter and feeding the sourdough starter.

Directions:

First Day:  (It should have the consistency of thick gravy)
To make the starter, combine the mix and filtered water in 1:1 ratio.  (I used 2 cups of the flour blend above and 2 cups filtered water). Mix throughly with whisk (incorporating lots of air)  and pour in a glass container that will hold at least 1/2 gallon.  Cover with several layers of cheese cloth, an unbleached coffee filter or kitchen towel.  Secure with a rubber band.  If using unbleached coffee filter, make several pinholes so that the naturally occuring wild yeast spores can enter, if the theory is true. At any point, the yeast needs the oxygen for aerobic growth.

This is the feeder which has been whisked to incorporate air.

Let the starter sit in a warm (or at least not cold) place on the counter.  For the next three days, do not adding anything to the starter but, stir the starter at least once a day for the three days.

Second Day:
Stir the starter at least once this day.

Third Day (or the day it bubbles):  (Look for the hooch - it is the layer of somewhat clear liquid )
If there are bubbles or hooch on the third day, whisk 1 cup of Starter Mix and 1 cup filtered water in a small bowl.  Stir the feeder into the jar of starter and mix well with a spoon or spatula. Replace the cover and rubber band. Any time there is hooch, feed the starter!  Too long and to much hooch will kill the starter.  Some sourdough bakers feel that the hooch is waste from the bacteria and yeast and pour the hooch off. Others stir it in with the feeder.  I choose to stir it in with the feeder.

Fourth Day:
Stir the starter at least once a day.  Do not add anything to the starter, unless there is hooch.  If there is hooch, feed it.

Fifth Day:
Feed it by whisking 1 cup of Starter Mix and 1 cup filtered water in a small bowl.  Pour in the starter and mix. The Sourdough Starter is ready to use.

Some starters take more than 5 days to be ready.  Patience and persistent monitoring is needed.  If the smell is not that of yeast and baking bread, or if there is a colored mold growing on it, throw it out, clean the container and start again.

This recipe was adapted from Dummies.com.  The original recipe for the starter included brown rice flour and sweet rice flour.  I do not use rice flour and substituted the teff, buckwheat, and amaranth flours for the brown rice flour and oat flour for the sweet rice flour.


Important Facts to Remember About A Sourdough Starter

When beginning the starter, the combination of the flour and water, hopefully, in a few days will grow yeast and lactobacillus bacteria.  But it is important to remember that there will also be other strains of bacteria growing in it.  It does not become stable for at least a week or so.  It took mine 2 weeks to become stable. Feeding it water and flour encourages the yeast and lactobacillus to grow and overtake the other bacteria.  To maintain a healthy starter, it needs to be feed the 1:1 ratio of water and flour.

Refrigeration and Freezing of the Starter

The starter can be slowed down by placing it in the fridge but it still must be fed once a week to sustain it.  It can be feed as little as 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of filtered water per two cups of starter.  I feed it, once a week, 1/4 cup flour blend and 1/4 cup water whisked together, incorporating lots of air.  When ready to use again, it will take about 2 -3 days to get it ready.

Day 1 :  When ready to use it for baking, remove from fridge and let it come to room temperature.
Day 2:   Feed it with 1:1 ratio flour and warm water.   Feed the starter twice more this day.
Day 3:  The next morning, feed it again.  If a dome forms in 2-3 hours, it is ready.  If not ready, feed it again 3 times.  When foamy, it is ready, though, I read that the new flour added takes about 7 hours to be completely fermented.

If you are really tired of the starter, stick it in the freezer.  When ready to use it, take it out of the freezer and thaw.  When it can be stirred, follow the directions above for refrigeration Day 1- Day 3.

This is a great website with information to help with care of the sourdough starter.  Other resources are listed below that helped me. In a few days I will post recipes for soft wraps, pancakes, waffles and other breads to use with the sourdough starter. This web page gives other great uses for the sourdough starter.  Who knew -  chicken feed and compost conditioner?
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Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough Wraps, Waffles & Pancakes
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough Basic Sourdough Bread #1

Resources

"Does Fermentation Break Down Gluten In Sourdough Breads and Beer" Gluten Free cooking.About.com. Web. 19 May 2014.     <http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/glutenfreebreads/f/Does-

Fermentation-Break-Down-Gluten-In-Sourdough-Breads-And-Beer.htm>

"Does Yeast Grow Faster with or without Oxygen? - Homework Help - ENotes.com Web.19 May 2014  <http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/yeast-cells-can-carry-out-both-fermentation-336231>

"Food & Function." Influence of Sourdough on in Vitro Starch Digestibility and Predicted Glycemic Indices of Gluten-free Breads - (RSC Publishing). Web. 19 May 2014.<http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2014/fo/c3fo60505a#!divAbstract>

"Foods to Lower Your Blood Sugar: Sourdough Bread | Reader's Digest."Reader's Digest. Web. 19 May 2014.   <http://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/foods-to-lower-your-blood-sugar-sourdough-bread/>

"Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter." - For Dummies. Web. 19 May 2014.>http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/glutenfree-sourdough-starter.html>

Hawkins, Jessie. The Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread: Unlocking the Mysteries of Grains, Gluten and Yeast. Franklin, TN: Thistle Publications, 2012. Print.

"Healthier Cereal Products." Potential of Sourdough for Healthier Cereal Products. Web. 19 May 2014. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092422440400202X>

Kane, Sharon A.  The Art of Gluten-Free Sourdough Baking:  Blending An Old World Technique with Allergen-Friendly Ingredients. eBook format by eBookIt.com, 2012. 

"Lactic Acid Fermentation in Sourdough." The Fresh Loaf. Web. 19 May 2014.  <http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10375/lactic-acid-fermentation-sourdough> 

"Potential of Sourdough for Healthier Cereal Products | DeepDyve."DeepDyve. Web. 19 May 2014. <http://www.deepdyve.com/lp/elsevier/potential-of-sourdough-for-healthier-cereal-products-Dd0StCO4hE>

Rombauer, Irma S., Marion Rombauer. Becker, and Ethan Becker. Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006. S.l.: Scribner, 2006. Print. <http://www.thejoykitchen.com>

Gluten Free French Toast Muffins

Whole Grain Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter 

I've been experimenting with gluten-free sourdough bread made with a wild yeast starter.  Sourdough bread is a very good bread for diabetics. (This is one of many websites explaining why). Put a gluten-free diet on top of that, and sourdough bread is certainly a good idea. I'm not quite ready to share the experiments of my adventure in good gluten-free sourdough bread using wild yeast. Wild yeast is exactly that; they are the yeast in the air we breath. They are captured in the flour and warm water as a starter and used to make the dough rise with no commercial yeast. I have the starter of whole grain sourdough starter (with no rice flour) perfected and stable. The bread from my starter and flour blend is not in a sharing situation yet. The share is getting closer, though.

I am going to share one of my failures.  I made some very sad gluten-free sourdough baguettes. Gluten-free bread failures are usually cubed for crutons or stuffing or crushed for bread crumbs.  I broke these baguettes in half and threw them in a zipper bag.  

The sourdough failure tasted good and it did rise but never to an acceptable extent. I could have done a couple of things. The dough had been rising for 6 hours in a baguette pan. I could have let it rise longer by putting it in the fridge but I didn't have enough room in the fridge for the baguette tray and it was getting late at night; so,  I baked them.  Another problem with the dough was that it was much too sticky.  The original recipe called for rice flour. I do not use rice flour because it has a high glycemic index and not good for diabetics.  I substituted a mixture of my whole grain flour blend and my all-purpose flour blend; needless to say, the adapted recipe needs several adjustments.  The orginal recipe by the Gluten-Free Doctor was firmer and could be slightly manipulated and formed.  This dough could not and I didn't want to add much more flour because I know adding more flour makes gluten-free bread dry and crumbly. I pretty much knew that these two baguettes were failures before I put them in the oven.  Because the flours are expensive, I didn't want to throw them out. I baked them.  As it turned out, so glad I did!  The toasted crumbs are excellent for many uses and I found a wonderful use for the bread cubes.

Sad Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Failure

I accidentally happened upon a blogger's website, laurelofleaves.com.  Her website and Facebook page are incredible.  She isn't exactly a gluten-free cooker or baker but her recipes are healthy and easy to adapt to gluten-free. It was this recipe, the French Toast Muffin,  that led me to her site.  As I read the recipe, I realized those muffins were made with sourdough bread. Bingo! Those ugly loaves weres were still sitting in the kitchen in the zipper bag.

I went to the kitchen to whisk the eggs and added coconut milk, stevia, cinnamon, vanilla and cinnamon and sugar free maple syrup.  I cut half of one of the baguettes into cubes and soaked them in the egg mixture for 5-10 minutes.  (I was so excited about the experiment that forgot to note the time).  I then placed the bread in muffins cups and spooned the remaining milk mixture over the bread and baked them. That bread failure turned out delish and the recipe is a keeper! Next time I make these, I will add more bread cubes in each cup because the muffins were small.  As usual, gluten-free bake goods fall in height as they cool.

 I can imagine this muffin recipe with blueberries or raisins, maybe bananas and shredded coconut. How about using sausage or ham or chicken?  Would the muffins be great as savory with kale, spinach, cheese, and savory herbs?  As I try other recipes, without the sugar and maple syrup, I'll update. 

Gluten Free French Toast Muffins  (6 servings)

Ingredients:
Several slices of gluten-free sourdough bread, cubed

2 eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 teaspoon sweetener of choice (I used stevia)

1/4 c. coconut milk

1/2 - 1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (I used sugar-free maple syrup -  :-( 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Combine eggs, sweetener, milk, vanilla and maple syrup in a medium size bowl and whisk lightly.

Taking a handful cubes of bread at a time, soak them in the mixture, then arrange them inside a muffin pan cup. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread until your muffin pan is full. If the bread absorbs more of the egg mixture than expected, make more egg mixture as needed, even halfing the recipe if necessary.  Spoon any remaining egg mixture over the bread in the cups.

Drizzle the tops of the muffins with a bit more maple syrup, then place them in the oven for 25 minutes.

(The orginal recipe stated to bake for 20 minutes but egg mixture wasn't completely done in that time.  I baked 5 more minutes.)

If I wasn't diabetic, I would sprinkle the muffins with powdered sugar or even lightly glaze them.  My choice was to lightly drizzle with sugar-free maple syrup just before eating. I could have made a sugar-free cream cheese glaze with cream cheese, vanilla extract, stevia and cream.  That experiment is for another day.

Store the remaining muffins in a zipper bag in the refrigerator or freeze for later use.  (I microwaved a cold muffin for 15 seconds and it was warmed perfectly.)

If you are using a 12-cup muffin pan, double the recipe.

Hope this recipe, in its many forms, works for you.