First loaf!

Hi again,

So I posted yesterday about my ultra sticky dough. I plugged along just to see what would happen. I baked the loaf today according to the directions in the link from that post. Here it is again: https://www.whattheforkfoodblog.com/2020/05/17/gluten-free-sourdough-bread-recipe/

When I removed the dough from the fridge (~16hr cold retard), the top was hard and crunchy but the dough under was soft. I had it covered with a towel while in the fridge. The dough was still ultra sticky so I plopped out as much as I could onto floured parchment paper, wet my hands, and shaped it into a ball the best I could. I scored the top with an X and the dough just dragged on the knife.

I followed the baking instructions in the link, except my oven didn’t go as high as the recipe called for so I went slightly under. When the timer was up, the inside didn’t get to 210°F so I put it back in uncovered for another 10 minutes. Still the inside didn’t reach the temperature so I put it in again covered for another 10 minutes. It reached temp this time so I left it to cool on the counter for 2 hours before cutting. It sounded hollow when I knocked on the bottom.

The crust was pretty difficult to slice through. The inside texture feels soft and spongy but looks gummy and wet. It doesn’t smell like sourdough but it smelled awesome while baking. It looks both light and airy but also not 😅

I think the bake time (going back in a few times) as well as my initial super sticky dough are the culprits here. My starter loves a higher hydration so I should have used more water than what the recipe calls for.

What are some other ideas to help with my bake?

Thank you!