This sourdough cob loaf has a wonderful flavour, is higher in protein than most of my bread recipes, contains extra fibre, is soft, flexible and totally delicious.

TA = Totally Awesome :) 

This recipe, with modification, can be made as a yeasted cob loaf.  

This recipe was designed specifically to be made with Bakers' Magic gluten free flour. The finished baked product will not be the same if you use another gluten free flour and you will need to adjust the recipe, particularly if the flour you're using contains rice flour.

 

Sourdough Starter

50 g of previous days leaven

50 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

100 g Lukewarm water

~1.5 tsp Sugar (of some type)

or

50 - 70 g Roasted sweet potato

or 

sugar + sweet potato - I usually add both

The remaining 150 g of the previous days leaven I either use to make bread (below) or put it on the humus heap.

I'm not gentle when it comes to mixing the starter - I find the easiest way to mix is with a stab blender. It's quick & gets the lumps out.

Sugar - your starter will need a sugar source (the simplest one is glucose powder). Sugar comes in various forms for example grated apple, roasted pumpkin, roasted sweet potato, honey or simpler versions table sugar, raw sugar, molasses. We want to add the Goldilocks amount of sugar to our culture. Too little you will starve your starter, too much & you will kill it, just the right amount & your starter will grow happily. 

Adding the Goldilocks amount of sugar - Unfortunately I can't say what that amount is for your culture. For Arthur, my starter/leaven/culture, I know I haven't added enough food when I let the starter grow for ~6 hours (it has doubled in size) I swirl it back down & it doesn't grow again. 

Roasted sweet potato - I usually bake it whole for 1 - 1.5 hours (depending on the size). I blend it with a food processor & freeze it in ice cube trays. Two of my roasted sweet potato ice cubes weigh ~70 g. I've fed my culture on one ice cube of sweet potato however the culture is not as active. The water content of the roasted sweet potato will vary & may affect the final shape of your loaf.  

 

 

Ingredients

400 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

40 g Faba bean protein powder 

1.5 tsp Salt

50 g Sugar

150 g Sourdough starter (leaven)

4 tsp Psyllium husk powder or psyllium husk

50 g Oil (I use Rice bran)

425 g Warm water

 

Psyllium husk - Psyllium is used to make the dough easier to handle however the downside to this is that the bread won't rise as much if too much is used. 

Faba bean protein powder - Available at Sunnybrook Health & Healing Centre (they will ship Australia wide) & Coles (but it has the disclaimer that gluten may be present)

  

Method

Simple Instructions

1. Blend the remaining dry ingredients.

2. Thoroughly mix together the dry ingredients, sourdough starter, remaining warm water and oil. Let the dough sit for approximately 30 minutes.

3. Mix the dough again. The dough will be less sticky.

4. Transfer dough to an oiled bread tin, prepared banneton or shape dough using oiled hands.

5. Prove the dough. The time will depend on how active your starter is & the proving temperature. Expect it to be at least 3 hours in a warm environment. 

6. Bake in a hot oven (190 - 200 C). Times will vary depending on shape - as a guide 60 mins per tin, 35 mins cigar shaped loaf, 25 - 30 min baguette.

7. Let the bread cool a bit before slicing into it.

 

More Detailed Instructions

Prepare your bannetons (or line the banneton with a clean chux or thin soft linen tea towel) - I used a round banneton lined with a clean chux.  

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the flat beater combine the mix until a uniform consistency is achieved. You may need to stop the mixer and scrap down the sides.

Let the dough prove for approximately 30 mins in a warm spot. Cover the bowl. 

Mix the dough again.  

Divide the dough & transfer to the proving basket(s). Let the dough prove for at least 3-5 hours in a warm moist environment. The actual time will depend on many factors particularly how active your sourdough starter (leaven) is. 

Before putting it in the oven ensure that the dough has risen ~1.5X. 

Turn your oven on to 180 - 200^o C. Setting the oven at 180^o C will result in a thinner crust than bread baked at 200^o C. A thicker crust will hold the shape of the bread better when the bread has cooled. 

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Gently take the dough out of the basket & place onto the baking paper. Optional - using a sharp knife make slashes on the top of the dough. 

Bake at 180 - 200^o C for ~60 mins. The time will vary depending on the individual oven. If your oven has a hot spot turn the bread halfway through baking. Baking the bread for longer will result in a wonderfully crusty bread.  

Take out of the oven & cool the bread on a cooling rack. Ensure the bread is sufficiently cooled before cutting into it.

When the bread is more than a day old I refresh the bread by sprinkling it  with a little water & putting it back in the oven for ~20 mins at 180^o C.

Simply enjoy!