[Scribbler]

Can anyone suggest a tried and tested recipe for sourdough starter please? I've tried the BBC Food one which uses skimmed milk, natural yogurt and flour twice now, and I'm not getting anything remotely like what they say I should be. No bubbles and no pleasantly sour smell.

I thought I'd ask here first. Tonight I'll look at some recipe books. I don't suppose Delia does one. And Googling is always an unknown quantity.

Thanks in advance!

[mumofstig]

the one by Dan Lepard! I couldn't find a direct link, but it's given on this blog

http://www.azeliaskitchen.net/blog/how-to-make-easy-sourdough-starter-dan-lepard/

[Scribbler]

Crumbs! It looks scary. You've done this?

[mumofstig]

I always pinched a bit of my friends starter, never got round to 'growing' one of my own 
But it was Dan Lepard's recipe she used   

She had one of his books, with loads of recipes in, perhaps you could borrow one from the library

[compostqueen]

You can buy the "mother" from here 

http://www.wessexmill.co.uk/acatalog/Sundries.html

[mumofstig]

interesting but with  a £6 p&p charge    I'd have a go on my own first 

[compostqueen]

So would I 

[Scribbler]

I might try this. It doesn't look so daunting. Perhaps not one for the purists though?

http://breadbaking.about.com/od/sourdoughbreads/r/basicstarter.htm

[compostqueen]

There's an easy-looking simple one on the Real Bread website

[Scribbler]

Thanks CQ. Great website with lots of other info about sourdough and bread generally.

Here's the bit you mentioned:

http://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/sourdough_starter/

[Trillium]

Here's a dead easy one as well:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/start-your-own-sourdough-starter-recipe

[Scribbler]

Started the Real Bread simple sourdough starter this morning. Just know this is going to work - just by the smell. It took me back to my childhood when I used to make Scofa bread.

Those were the days!

[Annen]

Started the Real Bread simple sourdough starter this morning. Just know this is going to work - just by the smell. It took me back to my childhood when I used to make Scofa bread.

How did you get on?  I gave it a go too using this http://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/sourdough_starter/, but strangely I couldn't find a recipe on that site to make the bread so I used http://appleandspice.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/light-rye-sourdough-bread.html which turned out lovely.  None of your bread that squashes to a paste, this one springs back and tastes like bread is supposed to taste.  Thanks for starting this thread its been well worth taking the trouble to make the starter.  I might try it in the bread maker next.

[Scribbler]

It was a bit slow to start, but seemed to like being in the airing cupboard. By the time I got to day six it was looking bubbly and smelling lovely.

I've had to put it in the fridge for the time being as there's other stuff going on. Hope to make some bread this weekend, but will have to warm it up and feed it again. I'm going to try this very simple recipe.

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/tv-show-recipes/the-fabulous-baker-brothers-recipes/sourdough-bread-recipe

I'll let you know how it went. Maybe even post a pic.

[compostqueen]

Great stuff    I've read through it again as I fancy having a go at this myself as I make quite a lot of bread. Made a loaf today in fact. Not sourdough, but a white sandwich loaf following a Michel Roux recipe. It's very delicious indeed