This one is relatively easy, it just takes a bit more time and planning ahead. Very satisfying though and great if you're a keen lock-down bread maker up for a new challenge. You'll need to make a starter a few days in advance, then on the day you'll need to allow for a few hours rising time, just a heads up before you get down to the recipe!
This photo is my first attempt ever, it's pretty dense and somewhat lacking in the air bubble department but it is definitely tasty. It's a working progress.
Ingredients
Starter
600g flour
Sponge
300g flour
Sourdough
350g flour
Oil for greasing
Method
Starter
1. Combine 200g of the flour with 200ml of lukewarm water in a non-metallic container - this will be your starter. Leave somewhere warm uncovered overnight.
2. Feed it the following day, by discarding half and adding a further 100g of flour and 100ml of lukewarm water. It's really important you're always adding equal measures.
3. Repeat this feeding process each day until you start to see bubbles throughout the mixture. This is the wild yeast in the flour starting to become active, it maytake a few days, so don't lose hope. It'll happen.
To make the bread
1. Once your starter is ready, remove 100g of it for your loaf. Chill the remainder, covered but make sure it has a hole to breathe. You'll have to feed it once a week to keep it alive and thriving. Each time you feed it, you'll want to bring it up to room temp (allowing it to bubble up) for 30 mins to an hour, then return it to the fridge.
2. Anyway, back to the bread. Allow the 100g of starter to get up to room temp.
3. Combine the 300g of flour and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt in a bowl, then adding 300ml of warm water and the starter.
4. Cover this mixture with a tea towel and leave it to rise somewhere nice and warm for about 4 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Once your sponge is ready, combine it with 350g of flour and 2 teaspoons of salt, before turning out onto a floured surface.
6. Knead for roughly 10 mins until the dough feels smooth and elastic.
7. Place the ball of dough into an oiled bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for another 3 hours.
8. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface to knock out the air before shaping it into a nice round circle on a lined baking tray.
9. Preheat the oven to 220°C and sit dough in a warm place for 1 hour (last rising session, I promise).
10. Before you put the dough in the oven, place a tray of water in there. This will help to form a nice crust.
11. Score the top of the dough with a knife and bake for 30-40 mins. When it's ready, it'll sound hollow when you tap it.
Enjoy
Eva x
Comments