So you think you can do what cookbookwriters, influencers and other “experts” tell you to do? Well, think twice, because here are three gluten-free bread myths. Let me debunk ‘m for you so you can get rid off all the bullshit. Your bread will thank you later. 

  1. PSYLLIUM GEL. No matter what people tell you: stop making gels with psyllium. I know the internet is loaded with recipes that call for psyllium gel. Not just made up by random people, but pretty much all cookbook writers and self proclaimed experts. They are wrong, because it’s a theoretical approach that has no added value whatsoever. And on top of it, they often use the wrong type of psyllium. Get the most finely ground psyllium with the highest possible purity (99%), as light-coloured as possible and check the swelling quality (if you don’t know what I’m talking about? Click here). Just whisk in the psyllium with the rest of the flour in one bowl and water plus levain in another bowl, bring together, mix vigorously and you’re done. Does this not work for you, then probably your hydration is too low. In any case, making a gel is a worthless, unnecessary and unappetizing step that also increases the risk of uneven distribution and creating lumps of gel in your bread dough.
  2. MAGIC INGREDIENTS. Artificial stuff like sugars, xanthan gum, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, softbake or other E-numbers are not magic ingredients. Stop putting it in your bread and avoid bakers who do. Great bread is made with fresh, organic, maximum fibre/protein flours, a strong and vibrant sourdough and the right type of psyllium. That’s where the magic happens. All the rest is just making up for laziness, a lack of knowledge or not giving a shit about anyone’s health.
  3. AUTOLYZE, KNEAD, ROLL, STRETCH & FOLD. Lots of people knead the gluten-free dough like crazy. They roll it out. They stretch it and they fold it. They seal it by pinching the dough. They autolyze. Looks and sounds really interesting right? But they make a fool of themselves. They are copying the process of gluten sourdough bread and do something that’s completely useless. There are no gluten to activate and the dough actually profits from touching it as little as possible. Just gently roll the dough into a ball until it has a smooth surface, then give it the shape you want. Spend the time you saved on really getting to know your ingredients.