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Sourdough Bread

Our recipe

Making the sourdough starter is the essential ingredient of this bread. Sourdough breads have a dense crumb structure, a pleasing sweet yet sour aroma, a slightly chewy bite and keeps well. You will probably enjoy sourdough sliced thinly.

Servings

Ingredients

900 g	Strong White Bread Flour or
900 g	Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour or
900 g	White Spelt Flour or
900 g	Wholegrain Spelt Flour
½ tsp	Salt
100 ml	Water
40 g	Olive OIl

Method

Sourdough Starter

Mix together 100g/4oz flour & 100ml/4floz water.
Cover with film and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
Stir in another 100g/4oz flour & 100ml/4floz water.
Cover with film and leave at room temperature for 48 hours.
Stir in 100g/4oz flour and 100ml/4floz water and leave in a warm place for 24 hours or until required for bread making.

Note:
Sourdough starter should be slightly spongy & smell yeasty. If this not the case repeat step 5. Continue to ‘feed’ the starter with remaining flour or water at regular intervals to maintain a thick paste until it is required for baking. The sourdough can be slowed down by refrigeration and speeded up by putting it in a warm place.

Bread

Check that the starter has been in a warm place for at least 12 hours at room temperature.
Weigh 400g/1lb of starter into a large bowl.
Add 400g/1lb flour, oil, and salt.
Mix in sufficient water to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Knead well then cover the dough with film and leave in a warm place for 1 hour.
Knead the dough again then shape and put it into an oiled 1kg/2lb loaf tin.
Cover the tin with film and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Bake in a pre heated oven for 30/35 minutes.

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Temperature & cooking time:
220°C/Fan200°C/425°F/Gas 7