My very First Sourdough loaf

My First Sourdough loaf

For the last few months I’ve had a hankering to make some bread.

Whilst I started on some normal recipes, my goal was to make some Sour-dough bread sometime soon.

As a result I’ve been reading and researching and trying to learn the techniques and last week I got down to it!

It all started with the need to create a “Starter”, something natural that would fill my loaf with rise and flavour.

The recipe I chose to use was one from the BBC. It seemed clear and simple, even if it took a few days to get it all together.

And today the starter was ready for use. Following the recipe for Sour Dough bread, again from the BBC, I set to it, after all: what else is there to do on Boxing Day?

It was totally different to the breads I’d made before: much more sticky when kneading and a bit longer in proving. The loaf had it’s second proving in a basket and towel, something I’d not done before and I used a bake stone to cook on, and with a tray of water in the bottom of the oven to increase “crunch” it was all systems go!

The result was lovely, even Mari said so. It wasn’t perfect, the cuts on the top weren’t deep enough, there was too much flour in the proving basket (or banneton as some call them) and there was a hint of “over caramelisation” on one edge. But the crunch, the crumb and the flavour made me a happy guy. Much learnt and the starter is recharged ready for the next bake.

 

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