Photo by Tommaso Urli on Unsplash
Can ChatGPT Teach Me to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough From Scratch?
They say making sourdough bread is a craft that takes years to perfect.
They also say making gluten-free sourdough is even harder — more unpredictable, more delicate, and more mysterious.
So, naturally, I thought… what if I didn’t learn it from a baker at all?
What if I asked ChatGPT to teach me?
Welcome to my new kitchen experiment: a real-time, flour-covered journey to see if AI can guide me through something that has humbled even the most passionate home bakers — creating a gluten-free sourdough starter and baking a loaf from scratch.
🧪 Why Gluten-Free Sourdough?
I’m gluten-free by necessity, not trend, and I miss real bread. You know — crusty outside, tangy inside, good enough to eat plain with a slather of butter.
Gluten-free bread at the store? It often tastes like cardboard and costs more than a sandwich.
Sourdough has that magic — natural fermentation, wild yeast, and deep flavor. But gluten-free sourdough? That’s next-level. No gluten means no built-in structure, which makes it notoriously tricky to work with. You need science, timing, and patience.
Perfect time to bring in an AI sidekick, right?
🤖 The Rules of the Experiment
- I’ll follow ChatGPT’s instructions, step by step.
- I’ll document everything — the good, the bad, and the bubbly.
- No cheating with premade starters or store-bought mixes.
- If I fail, I fail. But if I succeed? I get warm, fresh bread and the bragging rights that a robot helped me make it.
Each day, I’ll update this post (or future entries) with what happened, photos, and what ChatGPT told me to do.
📅 The Plan (According to ChatGPT)
📦 Ingredients
For the Starter
- 100g brown rice flour (or gluten-free whole grain flour)
- 100g filtered or distilled water (room temp)
For the Bread (Once Starter is Ready)
- 200g active GF starter
- 400g gluten-free flour blend (see below)
- 300g water (adjust based on flour type)
- 8g salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
📅 Day-by-Day Starter Schedule
Feed daily at the same time. Use clean utensils & jars. Expect changes in smell and texture!
Day 1
- Mix: 50g brown rice flour + 50g water in a clean jar.
- Stir well, cover loosely, and let sit at room temperature (~70–75°F).
- Note: It may look quiet. That’s okay!
Day 2
- Discard half (~50g).
- Add: 50g flour + 50g water. Stir, cover loosely.
- What to expect: Maybe a few bubbles or a slightly sour smell.
Day 3
- Discard half.
- Feed again with 50g flour + 50g water.
- Note: Smell may be tangy, sour, or fruity — that’s good!
Day 4
- Discard half.
- Feed same as before.
- What to expect: More activity, stronger smell, some rise and fall.
Day 5
- Discard half.
- Feed: 50g flour + 50g water.
- Note: Starter should rise within 4–6 hours. Look for bubbles and dome shape.
Day 6
- Repeat feeding.
- If very bubbly: You can test it in water — it should float!
Day 7
- Optional: Split starter if you want to test different flours or keep backups.
- Continue feeding until you’re ready to bake.
🍞 Bread Baking Steps
Once starter is active and bubbly, bake your first loaf.
1. Mix Dough
- Combine starter, water, flour, salt, and optional oil.
- Mix well. It should resemble thick cake batter (adjust water as needed).
2. Bulk Fermentation
- Cover and let rest for 4–8 hours at room temp.
- Dough should puff up, not necessarily double.
3. Shape & Proof
- Shape into a round and place in parchment-lined bowl or proofing basket.
- Cover and proof for 1–3 more hours or refrigerate overnight.
4. Bake
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with Dutch oven inside.
- Score the top of the dough.
- Transfer dough to hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake:
- 30 min covered
- 15–20 min uncovered
5. Cool
- Let rest 2+ hours before slicing!
📝 Notes & Tips
- Always discard before feeding to prevent sourness and overgrowth.
- If starter smells foul or turns pink/gray, toss it.
- You can store discard in the fridge and use in pancakes, crackers, etc.
- Use non-chlorinated water — distilled or filtered is ideal.
🧪 Future Experiments
- Try different flours: sorghum, teff, millet, buckwheat.
- Test hydration levels (start with 100%).
- Try add-ins: herbs, olives, seeds.
📸 Documenting the Journey
I’ll include daily photos, notes, smells (described, not shared — you’re welcome), and results. If I tweak something, I’ll explain why.
You’ll get:
- Honest reactions (some may be unprintable)
- Unexpected insights
- Tips for anyone else trying this gluten-free baking thing with or without AI
🔥 Why This Matters (At Least to Me)
I’m doing this because I love learning through doing — and because I think AI has the power to become an amazing tool for teaching skills that usually take months or years to master. Not just coding or writing, but craft. Physical things. Delicious things.
If ChatGPT can help me bake a beautiful, edible, gluten-free sourdough loaf?
That’s not just bread. That’s potential.
Let’s see what happens.
Follow along, and wish me luck.
Starter begins tomorrow. 👩🔬🥣
Stay tuned for Day 1…
#glutenfree #sourdough #aiinthekitchen #chatgptchallenge #bakingwithbots
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