[compostqueen]

It's a minefield in it. I've got used to reading and re-reading the recipes. Then checking each fart stitch as I progress down the recipe    No wonder folks plump for a machine

Nah, I Freecycled mine as I was peed off at the way the bread had to be made to fit the machine rather than the other way about.  I suppose they're fine if you eat the same old loaf day in day out

[Scribbler]

It goes against the 'grain' to defend them, but I recently Freegled my father's old breadmaker, and with it a book about using it. A quick glance revealed that you can use the machine to prepare dough, and then form this how you want it and cook in a conventional oven.

But when I think that my latest white loaf only took a few minutes to knock together, there doesn't seem a lot of point.

Noticed last night that Dan Lepard has a lardy cake recipe. Looks very tempting!

[compostqueen]

Yes you can take it out after the machine has kneaded but I like the kneading and mixing bit.  It's only handling different doughs that you understand the process. I'm not scared of wet dough anymore     

The lardy bread sounds brill. They all do!  There are lots of his recipes that I could make with the ingredients to hand so I will start with those before buying yet more flour. Having said that I did buy a new bag today (only to feed my starter though so it doesn't count) 

My son had sliced up loads of the white I made yesterday with the rye starter, and was plonking copious amounts of bacon onto it when I returned from walking the dog today.  He said it was scrumptious (my son that is, not the dog  )

[bigdavenorcott]

The Dan Lepard sourdough recipe is the one I've found consistently the best, and is much less faff than making a sponge. Making the starter is easy enough, just takes a while to get going.

I cut n pasted this from the River Cottage site, was the one I used (although I prefer DL's actual bread recipe):

Begin with the starter. In a large bowl, mix 100g strong bread flour with enough warm water to make a batter, roughly the consistency of thick paint. Beat it well to incorporate some air, then cover with a lid or clingfilm and leave somewhere fairly warm and draught-free. Check it every few hours until you can see that fermentation has begun – signalled by the appearance of bubbles on the surface.

The time it takes for your starter to begin fermenting can vary hugely – it could be a few hours or a few days. Your starter now needs regular feeding. Begin by whisking in another 100g or so of fresh flour and enough water to retain that thick batter consistency. You can now switch to using cool water, and to keeping the starter at normal room temperature – though nowhere too cold or draughty. Leave it again, then, 24 hours or so later, scoop out and discard half of the starter and stir in another fresh 100g flour and some more water.

Repeat this discard-and-feed routine every day, maintaining the sloppy consistency and keeping your starter at room temperature, and after 7-10 days you should have something that smells good – sweet, fruity, yeasty, rather than harsh or acrid. It’s now ready to bake with.

[compostqueen]

Thanks for that 

I noticed that the rye starter smells the best. Like booze

I fancy making DL's barm cake, which starts off with a barm.  We have a brewery up the road so I might stroll up there and see what they've got to make barm.  I looked in the shop today to see if any of the bottled beers were conditioned in the bottle but it doesn't say on them 

[compostqueen]

Getting well into this now. Got myself some organic fresh yeast (Swedish) You get four little blocks of 50 g each. I put two in the freezer.  I also got a pot of malt extract, and as well as making bread with it, you can make malt loaves 

I also got some bottle conditioned beer (Brakspear) to have a go at making the barm bread
Got Dan Lepard's curranty leaven on the go too, rye in the fridge and a wholemeal blipping away on the worktop.

Reading the Dan bible last night I think the next recipe is the caraway loaf

[Scribbler]

Brakspears used to be the local brewery here. In its day one of the best beers in the country.

Did a loaf this morning with a mix of white flour (300g) and spelt flour (200g), using rye starter. So hoping for something tasty later. Just making this change made the dough feel very different. Didn't feel as springy as using all white flour.

May have to start thinking about buying flour in bulk. Anyone do this?

[compostqueen]

Oh good!  I thought it looked the bees knees. I've been looking at another one of theirs so will get that next time. 

No I don't buy flour in bulk although I have got a cupboard full of the stuff at the moment. I used my maltflake one this morning. Did soda yesters (changing the subject, sorry)

I had to chuck out my wholemeal starter this morning as it seems as dead as a dodo despite using a fresh bag of flour.  I think organic seems the way to go from now on. The Dan Leppard starter I have going (raisins one) looks like it's going to be like rocket fuel on the rise front 

On the go today I have the milk loaf and it's on its first rise.  I used the organic Swedish yeast for this and it didn't go frothy (eek!) I pressed on regardless and it seems springy so hopefully all will be well 

[compostqueen]

This is today's offering, using the recipe you gave me Scribbler but I tweaked it slightly, and I think it's my best sourdough to date. It looks just like a yeast made bread and it rose beautifully.  It looks like two parts as I made two balls of the same size, side by side in the tin

It's delicious too. I used some maltflake flour in it and a teaspoon of black treacle, and a tablespoon of olive oil.

[Scribbler]

If that's a 2 lb tin it looks amazing!

Good bake, as they say!!

I'm eating a loaf with 300g white flour and 200g spelt, using rye starter. The spelt makes it a bit denser but very tasty.

Lots of permutations. And it's always interesting to tweak recipes - we always do this whatever we're cooking.

[Scribbler]

If you haven't got one of these, I can really recommend them - especially when dealing with very wet dough.



And while on the subject of equipment, anyone using those basket things, the name of which escapes. I just get the feeling they might be better - more authentic - than my 2lb loaf tin.

You've gone quiet CQ, I'm guessing you might have exploded!!  

[compostqueen]

Well, funny you should say that. I've gained rather a lot of weight in the last two weeks and am in trouble at WeightWatchers 

Still baking bread but trying determinedly to eat less of it by slicing it more thinly. Not easy though 

I did your sourdough recipe again (as photo above) but without oil (as per the recipe) and it's wonderful.  I used the Dan L starter (which he illustrates in the book)  Huge rise on it 

Made another soda at the weekend but I hardly got a look in   

I've got a Betterware scraper but it's too thick and the one like yours looks much better. Where'd ya get it? 

[Scribbler]

Yes it is nice and flexible. There's a posh kitchen shop in Henley that we never go it, but it was a birthday present and Mrs S got it from there.

Lakeland do one, but don't know how thick it is

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/11863/Side-Scraper

Also see this, which looks pretty much the same. The rounded edge is useful

http://www.globalfse.co.uk/Product/Pastry-Scraper-12-x-8cm-Single/p28559.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=GoogleShopping&utm_campaign=googlebase&gclid=CI2CxITuwrUCFeXLtAodFyoAUg

[Scribbler]

Just to confuse things further....

http://www.carllegge.com/2011/11/sourdough-bread-simply/

[Scribbler]

Here's the scraper - two quid plus P&P

http://www.souschef.co.uk/flexible-curved-dough-scraper.html