SOURDOUGH IS THE HEALTHIEST BREAD WE CAN EAT AND IS MADE BY ALLOWING THE DOUGH TO FERMENT NATURALLY

TO MAKE A SOURDOUGH YOU MUST ALREADY HAVE MADE A SOURDOUGH STARTER AND BE READY TO MAKE A LOAF. THIS RECIPE MAKES A DELICIOUS BREAD WHICH IS FLUFFY AND SOFT ON THE INSIDE WITH A CRUNCHY CRUST.

THIS RECIPE STARTS HAS SIMPLE STEPS AND REQUIRES 6-10 HOURS PROVING AND ALSO AN OVERNIGHT PROVE MEANING YOU NEED TO GET IT GOING 24 HOURS BEFORE YOU WANT TO EAT IT!
SOURDOUGH ISN’T A QUICK BAKE BREAD BUT ONCE YOU HAVE MADE IT A FEW TIMES IT BECOMES SO MUCH EASIER TO FIT IT INTO YOUR ROUTINE!

INGREDIENTS
100G ACTIVE STARTER
375G WARM WATER
500G MULTIGRAIN FLOUR (I LIKE COTSWOLD EIGHTGRAIN)
10G SALT

RECIPE

FIRSTLY
YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOUR STARTER IS ACTIVE AND READY TO USE BY PERFORMING A SINK OR FLOAT TEST. FILL A GLASS WITH COLD WATER AND SPOON A TINY BIT OF MIXTURE IN THE GLASS, IF IT FLOATS ON TOP OF THE WATER THEN IT IS READY TO USE, IF IT SINKS THEN IT NEEDS MORE FEEDING!

NOW LET’S GO
MIX 100G OF YOUR STARTER WITH 350G OF WARM WATER AND MIX WITH A FORK

NEXT
ADD 500G OF FLOUR AND 10G OF SALT AND MIX IT WELL TO FORM A STICKY DOUGH. COVER IT OVER WITH A TEA TOWEL AND LEAVE TO REST FOR 30 MINUTES

ONCE THE 30 MINUTES IS UP
YOU NEED TO PERFORM WHAT’S CALLED STRETCH AND FOLD WHERE YOU STRETCH THE BREAD UPWARDS AND FOLD IT OVER- ROTATE THE BOWL QUARTERLY AND REPEAT. DO THIS 8 TIMES!
IT MAY NOT BE VERY STRETCHY IN THE FIRST GO SO BE CAREFUL NOT TO TEAR IT (SEE THE VIDEO FOR MORE)
ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THE STRETCH AND FOLD COVER WITH A TEA TOWEL TO REST FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES

REPEAT
YOU NEED TO REPEAT THE STRETCH AND FOLD AGAIN AND YOUR GOING TO DO THIS 4 TIMES- EVERY 30 MINUTES OVER 2 HOURS
EACH TIME IT WILL FEEL SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT- STILL STICKY BUT A BIT MORE STRETCHY!

ONCE THE 2 HOURS IS UP
AFTER YOU HAVE PERFORMED YOU LAST STRETCH AND FOLD YOU NOW NEED TO COVER YOUR BOWL WITH CLING FILM AND LEAVE IT TO BULK RISE FOR ANYTHING BETWEEN 6-10 HOURS. A WARM ROOM IS BEST AS THIS WILL HELP IT RISE QUICKER. YOU WANT IT TO DOUBLE IN SIZE SO KEEP A CHECK ON IT

YOUR BREAD HAS DOUBLED
YOU NEED TO NOW PREP YOUR CONTAINER FOR AN OVERNIGHT PROVE, IF YOU. HAVE A BREAD BANNETON/FLOUR SACK THEN THAT IS BEST. IF NOT THEN USE A LARGE BOWL
DUST A WORKTOP WITH FLOUR AND CAREFULLY TIP OUT THE DOUGH. IT WILL STILL BE STICKY SO DUST THE TOP LIGHTLY WITH FLOUR. CAREFULLY SHAPE THE DOUGH INTO A ROUND SHAPE. YOU WANT TO CAREFULLY RUB FLOUR ONTO THE STICKY BITS UNTIL YOU HAVE A DOUGH THAT IS LESS STICK (BUT NOT DROWNING IN FLOUR)
TRANSFER IN TO THE BOWL AND COVER WITH CLINGFILM AND POP INTO THE FRIDGE TO PROVE OVERNIGHT. THE OVERNIGHT PROVE CAN BE ANYTHING FROM 8 HOURS- 24 HOURS!

GOOD MORNING
REMOVE YOUR DOUGH FROM THE FRIDGE WHEN YOU ARE NEARLY READY TO BAKE.
HEAT THE OVEN TO 230°C FAN
USE EITHER A LINED BAKING TRAY, LINED LOAF TIN OR DUTCH OVEN IF YOU HAVE ONE. CAREFULLY TIP OUT THE DOUGH ONTO A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE AND SHAPE IT (BE REALLY GENTLE WITH IT)AND ADD IT TO YOUR TRAY OR TIN THEN LEAVE IT TO REST FOR 30 MINUTES WHILE THE OVEN IS HEATING

TIME TO BAKE
POP INTO THE OVEN AND SET YOUR TIMER FOR 5 MINUTES!!
AT 5 MINUTES OPEN THE OVEN AND SCORE A LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE (USE A BREAD SCORER IF YOU HAVE ONE OR A REALLY SHARP KNIFE) THIS WILL HELP IT EXPAND AS IT RISES AND STOP IT EXPLODING INTO A FUNNY SHAPE. SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO SCORE BEFORE IT GOES IN THE OVEN BUT I LIKE TO DO A SIMPLE LOAF AFTER 5 MINUTES. BAKE ON 230°C FOR 15 MINUTES AND THEN TURN DOWN TO 200°C FOR A FURTHER 10-20 MINUTES. YOU WANT IT TO GO DARK IN COLOUR ON THE TOP AND CHECK IT’S FULLY BAKED BY TAPPING THE BOTTOM TO SEE IF IT SOUNDS HOLLOW.
REMOVE FROM THE OVEN AND LEAVE TO REST FOR 3 HOURS OR MORE. YOU WANT IT TO BE FULLY COOLED WHEN YOU CUT IT!

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