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Dairy
Medium
24 Hours
Diets 
Golden and buttery tahini is a star in this spectacular sourdough loaf. Here’s a bread that caters to not just a gluten intolerance but also to a nut allergy without skimping on flavor. Tahini is made from ground hulled sesame seeds that have been toasted. This gluten-free, homemade version of the classic paste is quick and easy to make. When you add the tahini to the sourdough, the bread turns a gorgeous golden color from the toasted seeds. The aroma of the dough astounds me each time I make this recipe. Tahini has such an exquisite nutty aroma and a flavor comparable to peanut butter, so there is no need to add anything else after baking— although this bread is incredibly good spread with butter, coconut oil or some leftover tahini paste.
Makes 1 loaf
40 grams active starter
80 grams warm water
40 grams buckwheat flour
40 grams brown rice flour
70 grams raw hulled sesame seeds
45 grams Gefen Olive Oil
5 grams wheat-free soy sauce
40 grams brown rice flour
60 grams sorghum flour
70 grams Gefen Tapioca Starch
40 grams buckwheat flour
30 grams quinoa flour
50 grams oat flour
7 grams salt
280 grams warm water
60 grams milk, at room temperature
30 grams Haddar Brown Sugar
19 grams whole psyllium husk
6 grams flaxseed, finely ground
20 grams melted Heaven & Earth Coconut Oil
white rice flour, as needed
Reactivate your starter the day before you plan on building the levain. A good time to do this is when you get up in the morning, to allow the starter six to eight hours to become bubbly and active. You will need 40 grams for the levain and at least 20 grams for maintaining your original starter/main culture.
Build the levain: Using a kitchen scale, weigh 40 grams of active starter in a clean 500-milliliter jar. Add 80 grams of warm water and vigorously whisk it with the starter. Add 40 grams of buckwheat flour and 40 grams of brown rice flour. Ferment the levain for six to eight hours, or until it is bubbly and has risen to a peak, before mixing it into the dough.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the sesame seeds in the olive oil and soy sauce for five to six minutes, stirring the sesame seeds continuously, as they will easily burn, until they are golden brown.
Let the sesame seeds, olive oil and soy sauce cool completely, then transfer them to a small blender. Blend the sesame seeds, olive oil and soy sauce into a fine paste. You will only need 60 grams of this tahini for the dough; the remainder can be stored in the fridge to be used as a spread on toast.
In a large bowl, combine the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, buckwheat flour, quinoa flour, oat flour and salt.
In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, milk and brown sugar. Stir in the psyllium husk, ground flaxseed and melted coconut oil to form a gel. Immediately whisk the psyllium gel to prevent lumps from forming, then whisk in the levain and 60 grams of tahini and add this mixture to the flour blend.
Mix the dough well by hand, or with a kitchen mixer fitted with a dough hook running at medium-low speed, until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Form the dough into a ball, then place it in a four-cup (one-liter) proofing bowl.
Cover the bowl with its lid and put the bowl in the oven with the light on. Let the dough rest for 30 to 60 minutes, or until the dough begins to rise a little. Place the covered bowl in the fridge overnight for the bulk fermentation.
The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until it is warm enough to work with.
Liberally dust a seven-inch (18-centimeter) banneton with the white rice flour.
Lightly dampen a work surface with water. Transfer the dough to the prepared work surface. Knead the dough with wet hands for two to three minutes, and then shape it into a ball.
Sprinkle a little white rice flour on the dough’s surface, then repeat the kneading process for about one minute.
With cupped hands, drag the dough in small circles to shape it into a smooth ball. Pinch, seal and smooth any seams in the dough. Scoop the dough up with a bench scraper and gently place it seam side up in the prepared banneton.
Place the dough, still in the banneton, inside a reusable plastic bag and let it rest at room temperature—ideally about 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius)—for three to five hours. The proofing time depends on the temperature of your kitchen. If the temperature is a little colder, place the dough in the oven with the light on. In the summer warmth, it can be left on the counter, and it may benefit from less proofing time. When the dough has proofed enough, it will have risen and will feel soft, puffy and spongy on the sides and in the center.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking it to create a little more oven spring.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius) with a Dutch oven inside.
Meanwhile, cut out some Gefen Parchment Paper for the dough to sit on. Place the parchment paper on top of the dough, which should still be in the banneton. Flip the banneton upside down, so that the parchment paper is underneath to hold the dough, and remove the banneton.
Lightly dampen the surface of the dough with wet fingers. Sprinkle some white rice flour on the dough, then evenly spread the flour around the top of the dough with your hands.
Score a windmill pattern around the top of the dough.
Gently slide the paper with the dough into the Dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven and bake the loaf for 25 minutes.
Reduce the oven’s temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius), remove the Dutch oven’s lid to allow the loaf to brown and bake the loaf for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaf feels firm.
Place the hot sourdough on a wire rack to cool for at least two hours before slicing it.
Wrap the bread in a tea towel or beeswax wrap and store it on the counter for two to three days. If your sourdough begins to dry out too quickly, it is best to slice and freeze the remainder. The sourdough will last in the freezer for up to three months.
Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free Sourdough Baking by Mary Thompson. Page Street Publishing Co. 2022. Photo credit: Mary Thompson.
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