It took the best part of a week all told but here in all it’s fermented glory is my very first sourdough loaf! Thanks to the numerous blogs (too many researched to remember them all…) I managed to create a ‘starter’ (aka ‘mother’) which now seems to have – literally – a life of it’s own. The ‘top tips’ I’ve picked up are:
Use bottled or boiled & cooled tapwater as chlorine can kill the bacteria and stall fermentation
Add the starter to the main flour mix when the starter is actively ‘peaking’ (needs watching)
Keep the mix wet
Bake the loaf in a ‘dutch oven’ or suitable casserole with the lid on for the initial bake – this creates steam and produces a wonderful glazed finish
The result is a glazed crusty loaf, beatiful moist crumb and lovely earthy sourdough taste.
