Sorghum bread
Gluten free, vegan, xanthan gum free, nut free
Equipment
- 23cm length X 10cm width X 10cm height (9 X 4 X 4 inch) steel Pullman pan. Mine is USA Pan brand in size small.
Ingredients
- 400 g light sorghum flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
- 100 g light buckwheat flour
- 100 g tapioca flour/starch
- 25 g psyllium husk powder (see notes)
- 7.5 g instant yeast
- 12g fine salt
- 40ml (2 tablespoons)* neutral oil
- 30ml (1 1/2 tablespoons)* maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 800-900 g water (see body of post for tips)
Instructions
- Grease and line your 23cm length X 10cm width X 10cm height (9 X 4 X 4 inch) steel Pullman pan. Mine is USA Pan brand in size small.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large, non reactive (plastic or glass) mixing bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, ensuring you get all the flour off the bottom of the bowl. The mixture should be nearly liquid at first, but thicken to a loose batter consistency as you whisk.
- Cover the bowl and set aside for 1 hour to proof. After proofing, the dough should have visible signs of aeration - a puffy top, lots of little air bubbles inside, etc.
- Preheat your oven to 220C/428F. This bread can proof quickly, so I recommend preheating the oven early if you are baking in a humid or hot climate (where high hydration bread proofs more quickly). Remove the top rack in the oven if your oven is small.
- Once the dough is proofed, decant it into your greased and lined Pullman pan. Use a moist hand to smooth down the top of the loaf, then cover the pan thoroughly without touching the bread. I use an inverted produce bag which keeps the bread in a sealed environment without touching it as it proofs.
- The loaf is proofed once it domes over the top of the Pullman pan. This can take as little as 20-30 minutes in a hot environment or up to 2 hours in a cold environment. Make sure you check on your loaf so that it doesn't over proof.
- When it is ready, place the bread in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Sorghum bread tends to be quite pale, so this time is to encourage oven spring but also browning.
- After 20-30 minutes, turn the oven down to 200C/400F and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes for a total baking time of 40-50 minutes. The loaf should be golden brown on top and feel solid if you tap the top of the loaf.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool. For best results, allow it to cool completely before slicing (the next day or 3+ hours after baking is ideal).
- Slices keep well in an airtight container in the fridge or can be frozen and defrosted.
Notes
- See notes in the body of the post for tips on proofing and hydration.
- I grind my own psyllium husk powder from the flakes using a spice grinder. I find that store bought psyllium husk powder is too fine and tends to clump up easily.
- Some brands of psyllium husk flakes can also turn your bread grey/purple. It is not a safety hazard but can look a bit off-putting. In Australia, I have been using BonVit brand. I used to like Coles brand but I started getting purple results from it recently.
- Sorghum flour can have a slightly bitter taste. This is just the way it is!
- See the troubleshooting section if you run into any issues with your loaf.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!