Before starting, watch the 7-Inch Sourdough Boule (GF/V) recipe video.

Step 1 
The evening before baking, refresh (feed) your GF sourdough starter. 

• Schedule Example: Remove the starter jar from the fridge around dinnertime and wait a few hours. I keep about 1 cup of starter in the jar when I refrigerate it between bakes. Feed the starter before bedtime. It doesn’t have to be precise. Add a few heaping spoonfuls of brown rice flour with enough water to stir. 
• First thing in the morning, take a portion of the starter and feed it again to get it even livelier. Do so by combining approximately 1/2 cup active starter 133g with 70g brown rice flour and 62g water (mix & cover) and wait until it gets bubbly/active again—usually a few hours. Or feed the starter a second time, right in the same jar, using the previous measurements as a guide. The goal is to create enough bubbly sourdough starter for the recipe (265g/1 cup). TIP: Feeding the starter more, right in the same jar is often faster.

Step 2
Combine the room temperature water (about 70-85°F), whole psyllium husk, maple syrup, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl) and whisk well. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. TIP: Touch your water. If it feels too cold, combine boiled and room temperature water to create the desired temperature.

Step 3
In a separate bowl, combine, sift and mix all the remaining dry ingredients including the sea salt.

Step 4
Add the dry ingredients from Step 3 and the GF sourdough starter to the large mixing bowl with the psyllium gel. Mix with a spoon, hand(s), or stand mixer until the dough is well combined. If it’s too dry, add one or two additional tablespoons of water if necessary. The final dough texture should feel smooth, not dry and might be sticky. If the dough sticks to your fingers (if mixing by hand), that’s ok! Scrape them down and wash them once finished.

Step 5
Dust a 7-inch banneton basket with a bit of brown rice flour to prevent sticking. Alternatively, place a clean tea towel into a soup bowl and dust the towel with flour. Gather the dough in your hands and smooth it out by patting it to fix any imperfections. Place the smoothest side down into the basket (it will become the top once flipped over to bake). Insert the dough basket in a large plastic bag or cover with a clean tea towel.

Find a cozy spot in the kitchen and let it rise for 3 to 5 hours. The dough is ready to bake once it shows some growth (usually half to 1-inch in height). See picture in post if unsure. The dough will not double in size but should spring back if gently pressed down with a finger. 

Step 6
One hour (min. 30 minutes) before baking the sourdough, preheat the oven and Dutch oven to 425°F. Position the oven rack on the lower half so the Dutch oven will be centered when baking. If you have a baking stone/steel, you can leave it in the oven as well.

Step 7
Once the dough looks ready (see the picture in post) and the oven is hot, remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Be careful—it will be hot! Gently flip the dough boule onto a piece of parchment paper. Brush off excess flour. Score the dough with one line across holding the blade on a slight angle, about 1/4-in deep. Or try one of the designs in the post.

Transfer the dough with the parchment paper to the Dutch oven, add a couple of ice cubes on the side of the parchment paper and close the lid. Bake for 40 minutes covered and approximately 40 minutes uncovered. The bread is ready when it’s darker in colour; the crust is hard and sounds hollow all around when tapped. The internal temperature should be about 210°F, although I haven’t checked a loaf this way yet.

Step 8
Remove the boule from the Dutch oven and cool on a rack for at least 4 to 6 hours before slicing. Don’t worry the crust will soften as it cools! Enjoy fresh!