[New shoot]

Soooooooo excited    Made a sour dough starter about 10 days ago and used it for the first time Wednesday.  I added a cup full to a normal bread mix and it was delicious.

Started a sponge last night and mixed the dough up this morning and it is actually working        It's rising and looking like the real deal - can't wait to try it but its going to be a day long project on and off cos you have to let the dough rise 2/3 times, them prove for ages 

[mumofstig]

I keep thinking about doing it, but it's the time for the long process that keeps putting me off

Let us know how you get on and if it was worth it 
You may inspire me to try at last

[Livinhope]

New shoot, can you put the whole recipe on here (how to make the starter right through to the bread) or direct me to it.  I've had many attempts at conventional bread making and never been happy with the results.

[New shoot]

OK I take up the challenge MOS - feast your eyes on these

My sour dough starter is in the jar




and with some home grown salad (except the radishes - mine bolted  )  and some cheese.  Did it taste as good as it looked - oooohhhh yesssss.  I have made bread before but this is the biz  If you want a quicker way, using a cup of starter as part of the liquid in a standard bread dough mix was also pretty darn fine tasting 



And for Livinhope

Starter - 1 cup wholemeal (preferably organic) flour and 1 cup warm water.  Beat together really well, put in a jar and leave somewhere warmish until bubbles just start forming on the surface.  Could take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days.

Daily feeding once bubbling - throw away half the mix and beat in another cup of flour and a cup of warm water, return to jar. After a week of feeding it's ready to use. It needs daily feeding but if you want to slow things up, it will live in the fridge for a week without feeding, just get it out and reactivate before use.

Sourdough - the night before make a sponge (loose breadmix\thick batter).  I mixed 1 cup starter with 250g rye flour, 250g strong white bread flour and 600ml warm water, covered and left overnight.

Next day mix in 600g strong white or wholemeal flour and 25g salt and mix to a dough.  Turn out and knead for 10 mins until smooth and springy.  Form into a round and put into a covered clean bowl to rise for an hour.  Tip out and press down gently into a flat shape, reshape into round and put back into covered bowl.  You can do this another 1 or 2 times if you want to really develop the taste.

Once risen, turn out and gently knock down.  Divide and make into loaves.  Dust with flour and leave on a board to prove until double in size - this bit can take up to 4 hours depending on how active your starter is.  Cover with cling film to stop the dough drying out.

Heat the oven to 250 degrees C.  Put a roasting dish of boiling water on the bottom and baking trays for your bread in to heat   Slash the tops of your bread and spray with water.  Get the trays out of the oven, the bread onto them and back into the oven as quick as you can. Bake on max heat for 10 mins then turn down to about 170/180 degrees C depending on how quickly the crust is browning and bake for 30/40 mins till really crusty and sounding very hollow when rapped on base.

Cool completely before slicing - I suggest you get out of the house for a bit here because the smell of the freshly cooked bread will drive you wild   

[sloworm]

ooohhh yummy 

[Livinhope]

Bless you.  That bread looks fantastic.  I really must have a go now.  It must be a fraction of the price of supermarket/bakery bread.

[Livinhope]

Another question.  Do you keep your starter going by feeding it and what is the process for that?  I've seen the Hugh F-W recipe and it seems extremely complicated because you have to keep halving it and throwing it away before you even make your first loaf, it's rather put me off but this seems so simple.  Questions, questions  .  Do you leave the top of the jar a bit loose because I would have thought if it's tight it may explode when it starts to ferment.

[mumofstig]

That looks yummy.........
so I need to buy wholemeal flour and rye flour to go with my normal bread flour in the cupboard................right...supermarket here I come.
I'll let you know.......but it may take a while 

[New shoot]

Sorry about the delay in replying Livinhope - been a bit preoccupied lately and have not logged on for a while 

You do need to build the starter up for a week before use the first time.  I pour half away and half into a bowl.  I add 1 cup flour and 1 warm water and whisk in for a few mins then put it back in the jar.  I keep the lid done up but not overtight and it does not explode.  My starter is coming out of the fridge tonight where its been for a week ticking over cos I haven't had time to look after it.  I'll do this process each night and then instead of pouring half away I'll use it to bake at the weekend.

If you use the starter every day after the first build up there's no waste and if not, fridge it and only feed for a day or so in the run up to baking. Do have a go - it's fantastic bread and the starter is not so hard to manage as you think 

[Paul Plots]

New shoot, that looks absolutely lovely!

I wish there was a little face for = licking lips! 

[Livinhope]

I do intend to have a go but after years of disappointment in the bread making department it take a bit of courage.

[Poolfield2]

If you are storing the starter for a longish time, like if you go on holiday, make it a little wetter than normal and it will keep for a couple of months in the fridge. You get a grey liquid on the top and a smooth paste at the bottom, scoop a teaspoon of the paste and add flour and water and in a warm room it is all bubbly again in 24 hours.

My starter is now 3 years old, it is a bit like a family pet now

[Debz]

That looks fabulous.  So good that I might try to make some.  I too have not been very successful at bread making but just love the smell.

[Livinhope]

My starter is now 3 years old, it is a bit like a family pet now

A mere baby then, I believe Hugh F-Ws is 14 years old.