SOURDOUGH BREAD MAKING

INGREDIENTS

     +    
EQUIPMENT LIST

Heavy lodge pan
Banetton baskets with linen liner
Bread scoring lame
Plastic scraper
Dough scraper
Weighing scales

     +    
STARTING THE MOTHER

25g water
25g flour

     +    
WHITE BREAD

1KG of high protein white flour
40g salt
50g water
600g water
500g mother

     +    
BROWN BREAD

800g of high protein white flour
100g wholemeal
50g Rye flour
50g of Spelt

Method

     +    
STARTING THE MOTHER

To follow as a guideline:

Day 1:
Mix the above in a Kilner jar or a 1 litre plastic jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Mix well with a very clean spoon and leave at room temp.

Day 2 – 6:
Each day add 10-20g of water and flour and mix well.

Day 3 – 4:
It should start to create a pungent, sour smell

Day 5 -6:
It should start to smell a little better by creating a sweet fermented smell.

Day 6:
Throw away 80% and feed it approx. 300g flour and 250g of water.

You need a fairly thick batter so only use it when it comes to a full rise. Only make the sourdough bread when the mother is at its full peak, never on the way down.

If you choose not to use it every day, then feed it and pop it into the fridge with a lid on it, this will keep for about 4 weeks without feeding. Remember she needs enough food to live, if you starve her she will die!

It is always difficult to give quantities for feeding the mother as all flours take different levels of water, so it is best to remember that you are trying to keep her to the consistency of a very thick batter.

Remember that you should always feed the mother after using, and at least 4-8 hours before you need to use her, depending on the air temp.

You should always ensure that you feed her at least 40% of her weight in fresh flour, together with enough water to retain the correct consistency. As a rough guide you would expect 100% flour to 80% water, with the water being at room temp.

When you want to use the mother, take her out of the fridge 3-4 hours beforehand, let it come to room temp and then remember the mother must be used only when it is at its peak of feeding, which means when it is on the rise, never on the turn.

     +    
WHITE & BROWN BREAD METHOD

If you have a machine such as a bread machine or mixer similar to a Kitchen Aid, place the mother into the larger amount of water. If you are doing the brown, disperse the treacle first before adding the mother.

Disperse the mother in the water by rubbing it and mixing it through your fingertips and once this is done, add in only the flours, nothing else. Mix for 2-3minutes on a slow speed until all the ingredients are well incorporated and there are no dry bits. You may have to scrape down the bowl halfway through, or if mixing by hand, scrunch them altogether until it comes together.

Turn out onto the bench and stretch the dough on the bench backwards & forwards, stretching it away from you and then rolling it back towards you. Repeat approx. 8-10 times to develop the gluten.

Then slap down onto the bench and roll the dough over its self and repeat several times. Place into a bowl and clingfilm. Leave the mix to rest for 45-60 mins to autolyse.

Mix the other water & salt together, adding the salt water mix into the dough and place in the machine for 4-5mins on a low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The gluten should have started to develop well by now. If doing by hand, tip the water salt mix on top of the bread and turn the bowl as you knead the dough in the bowl, turning and kneading at the same time, until the dough becomes smooth and all the liquid is incorporated.
Leave the dough to rest for 45-60 mins covered in clingfilm, then we do the first fold.

Folding:

Make 4 ¼ turns, then repeat this twice more after another 45 mins has passed.

Pull the dough up from the bottom at the furthest point away from you, lift and stretch the dough upwards, then place down into the middle. Turn the bowl a ¼ and repeat, always taking the dough from the bottom. Do this every ¼ turn which is a total of four times.

This should leave you with a tighter dough with more structure. Leave to rest for another 45-60mins and repeat. If you are making the brown, sprinkle the malt flakes in between each ¼ turn then leave to rest for another hour, then do one more time.

We then leave this to bulk prove for approx. 3-4 hrs depending on the air temp, sometimes it will take more and sometimes less.
Afterwards tip out on to the work surface and divide the dough gently into two, dividing with a dough cutter, which is a metal scraper.
Pre-shape lightly into a round ball using the scraper, pulling & scraping the dough round and tuck under so that it forms into a tightly shaped ball.

Place the dough next to each other so that they then support each other while resting, leave to bench rest for 10-15 mins.
Once rested, use the metal scraper by pushing it under the dough to create tightness and the dough to be stretched inwards becoming taught.

Flip the bread over and stretch out either side of the top part of the bread as though you are making ears. Fold the left in then the right over the left, repeat this all the way down so that you do the top middle and bottom.

Then fold over the top part in by a 3rd and make two ears again at the top. Bring them out each side on the left and right, then again bring one in then the other, do this again in the middle and end.

Then you will fold the bottom half in and the top part over, so that its folded, and the fold will be underneath.

We then leave this for another ten mins on the bench to rest, place the hand onto the top of the dough, place the metal scraper under the dough and flip it over , then sandwich the two sides together and Place into a well-floured basket (50/50 rice and wheat flour is the best) with the seam pointing up.
Leave out for 30mins – 1hour and then place in a fridge for 12-24hrs.

Preheat the oven and cast iron pan at 235c.
Flip the loaf out of the basket in to the lid of the pan, then slash and place the base on top.
Bake at 235c for 35 mins, remove the lid and bake for 2-3 minutes until you get the desired colour.

Place on a wire rack to cool for at least 15-20 mins before cutting.

SOURDOUGH BREAD MAKING

INGREDIENTS

   +   
EQUIPMENT LIST

Heavy lodge pan
Banetton baskets with linen liner
Bread scoring lame
Plastic scraper
Dough scraper
Weighing scales

   +   
STARTING THE MOTHER

25g water
25g flour

   +   
WHITE BREAD

1KG of high protein white flour
40g salt
50g water
600g water
500g mother

   +   
BROWN BREAD

800g of high protein white flour
100g wholemeal
50g Rye flour
50g of Spelt

Method

   +   
STARTING THE MOTHER

To follow as a guideline:

Day 1:
Mix the above in a Kilner jar or a 1 litre plastic jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Mix well with a very clean spoon and leave at room temp.

Day 2 – 6:
Each day add 10-20g of water and flour and mix well.

Day 3 – 4:
It should start to create a pungent, sour smell

Day 5 -6:
It should start to smell a little better by creating a sweet fermented smell.

Day 6:
Throw away 80% and feed it approx. 300g flour and 250g of water.

You need a fairly thick batter so only use it when it comes to a full rise. Only make the sourdough bread when the mother is at its full peak, never on the way down.

If you choose not to use it every day, then feed it and pop it into the fridge with a lid on it, this will keep for about 4 weeks without feeding. Remember she needs enough food to live, if you starve her she will die!

It is always difficult to give quantities for feeding the mother as all flours take different levels of water, so it is best to remember that you are trying to keep her to the consistency of a very thick batter.

Remember that you should always feed the mother after using, and at least 4-8 hours before you need to use her, depending on the air temp.

You should always ensure that you feed her at least 40% of her weight in fresh flour, together with enough water to retain the correct consistency. As a rough guide you would expect 100% flour to 80% water, with the water being at room temp.

When you want to use the mother, take her out of the fridge 3-4 hours beforehand, let it come to room temp and then remember the mother must be used only when it is at its peak of feeding, which means when it is on the rise, never on the turn.

   +   
WHITE & BROWN BREAD METHOD

If you have a machine such as a bread machine or mixer similar to a Kitchen Aid, place the mother into the larger amount of water. If you are doing the brown, disperse the treacle first before adding the mother.

Disperse the mother in the water by rubbing it and mixing it through your fingertips and once this is done, add in only the flours, nothing else. Mix for 2-3minutes on a slow speed until all the ingredients are well incorporated and there are no dry bits. You may have to scrape down the bowl halfway through, or if mixing by hand, scrunch them altogether until it comes together.

Turn out onto the bench and stretch the dough on the bench backwards & forwards, stretching it away from you and then rolling it back towards you. Repeat approx. 8-10 times to develop the gluten.

Then slap down onto the bench and roll the dough over its self and repeat several times. Place into a bowl and clingfilm. Leave the mix to rest for 45-60 mins to autolyse.

Mix the other water & salt together, adding the salt water mix into the dough and place in the machine for 4-5mins on a low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The gluten should have started to develop well by now. If doing by hand, tip the water salt mix on top of the bread and turn the bowl as you knead the dough in the bowl, turning and kneading at the same time, until the dough becomes smooth and all the liquid is incorporated.
Leave the dough to rest for 45-60 mins covered in clingfilm, then we do the first fold.

Folding:

Make 4 ¼ turns, then repeat this twice more after another 45 mins has passed.

Pull the dough up from the bottom at the furthest point away from you, lift and stretch the dough upwards, then place down into the middle. Turn the bowl a ¼ and repeat, always taking the dough from the bottom. Do this every ¼ turn which is a total of four times.

This should leave you with a tighter dough with more structure. Leave to rest for another 45-60mins and repeat. If you are making the brown, sprinkle the malt flakes in between each ¼ turn then leave to rest for another hour, then do one more time.

We then leave this to bulk prove for approx. 3-4 hrs depending on the air temp, sometimes it will take more and sometimes less.
Afterwards tip out on to the work surface and divide the dough gently into two, dividing with a dough cutter, which is a metal scraper.
Pre-shape lightly into a round ball using the scraper, pulling & scraping the dough round and tuck under so that it forms into a tightly shaped ball.

Place the dough next to each other so that they then support each other while resting, leave to bench rest for 10-15 mins.
Once rested, use the metal scraper by pushing it under the dough to create tightness and the dough to be stretched inwards becoming taught.

Flip the bread over and stretch out either side of the top part of the bread as though you are making ears. Fold the left in then the right over the left, repeat this all the way down so that you do the top middle and bottom.

Then fold over the top part in by a 3rd and make two ears again at the top. Bring them out each side on the left and right, then again bring one in then the other, do this again in the middle and end.

Then you will fold the bottom half in and the top part over, so that its folded, and the fold will be underneath.

We then leave this for another ten mins on the bench to rest, place the hand onto the top of the dough, place the metal scraper under the dough and flip it over , then sandwich the two sides together and Place into a well-floured basket (50/50 rice and wheat flour is the best) with the seam pointing up.
Leave out for 30mins – 1hour and then place in a fridge for 12-24hrs.

Preheat the oven and cast iron pan at 235c.
Flip the loaf out of the basket in to the lid of the pan, then slash and place the base on top.
Bake at 235c for 35 mins, remove the lid and bake for 2-3 minutes until you get the desired colour.

Place on a wire rack to cool for at least 15-20 mins before cutting.

We use cookies to understand how you use our website and to improve your experience. To learn more about our use of cookies and our approach to data privacy, please see our privacy policy. By continuing to use our website, you accept our use of cookies.