Sourdough

If you have an active starter - either one you made or buy one - then this is the perfect all-in mix. 

You won't believe how easy it is to make one, but, you can buy a dehydrated one to help get you on your way faster. See link below. 

Ingredients

What you’ll need

420 g or 1 pack Gusto Artisan Bread Mix flour (3 cups flour scooped & levelled)

300-315 g filtered water* depending on how dry, loose or wet your starter is

110 g active sourdough starter (see notes)

2 tsp honey, maple syrup, agave or sugar 

2 tsp Apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp oil or melted butter

Notes

You will need a preheated Dutch oven for this recipe. See Dutch Oven options.

Directions

1. In a glass, ceramic or wooden bowl combine Artisan flour mix, filtered water, starter, sweetener of choice, vinegar & butter

2. Mix will be very wet to start and then stiffens. Allow mix to sit 2-3 minutes to gel up after adding the water.

3. Knead a few times on a floured board to smoothen and bring dough together, about 30 seconds. 

4. Turn dough seam side up and pinch seams together in the center of the boule. You can also roll the dough like a log and then tuck the tapered ends into the center to create a ball. (Shaping is not the artistic endeavor seen with regular sourdough. The goal here is to form a smooth ball with seams pinched together.)

5. Turn boule over, smooth side is now up. 

6. Cup the ball of dough with the side of your palms, pushing inwards, to create a tight round shape.

   7. Place seam side up in a well floured basket/banneton or towel-lined bowl. Cover with a clean towel & elastic. See notes on proofing options. 

   8. The dough is ready when the surface is cracked a little, springy and shaggy looking. 

   9. When ready to bake:: Place a Dutch oven on middle shelf of oven. Preheat to 475°F. (Best to preheat for 45 minutes - 1 hour before baking.

   10. Invert boule carefully onto a piece of parchment, about 12” square. Do not drop or bang the dough as it could deflate it. Spray/brush boule with water, dust on flour. Make 1/2” slits with blade/lame or very sharp knife.

   11. Using edges of the parchment carefully lift & lower the boule into the preheated Dutch oven. Spray the sides of the parchment with water and cover with the lid quickly to prevent steam escaping. Place in the oven. 

   12. Reduce temperature to 450°F Bake 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove cover (use mitts!) lower heat to 400°F & bake a further 10-15 minutes more to darken. (Time will depend on how big the boule was shaped.) Allow to cool before slicing.

Notes

• • Cutting the bread too early may result in a gummy texture but I find slicing the ends after 20-30 minutes is just fine. I have sliced this bread warm so many times and spread with melting butter. It’s a revelation for GF bread. 

  • Freeze slices of leftover bread and pull from freezer to be toasted in minutes! 

  • When adding butter to the mix make sure it’s warm so as not to form lumps.

  • Use butter for best results but if you must use oil use a neutral oil like avocado and not olive oil as the latter can create a strong flavor here. 

• Not ready to make your own starter? Check out sourdough expert Mary Thompson's site ( A couple of celiacs) for dehydrated that will have you up & baking in no time.