PATTERNED SOURDOUGH

The world’s gone crazy for sourdough. Ofces buzz with tales of weekend triumphs, social media over fows with beautiful photographs and people arrange sitters to lovingly feed their starters when they go on holiday.

There’s a reason for this craze: sourdough isn’t your ordinary loaf. It relies on lactic acid bacteria and naturally occurring yeasts in the starter to help develop the distinctly sour favour and waxy structure. You need patience to make sourdough, but it doesn’t take much efort and now bakers have realised that the top of the loaf makes a good canvas for creativity, it’s all over social media – search #sourdough #levain #sourdoughbread #wildyeast or fnd out more from our one of our favourite home sourdough baking websites: theperfectloaf.com.

How to make a starter

Whisk 50g strong white four and 50g strong wholemeal four with 100ml slightly warm water until smooth. Transfer to a large jar or plastic container. Leave the lid ajar for 1 hr or so in a warm place, then seal and set aside for 24 hours. For the next six days, you will need to ‘feed’ it. Each day, tip away half the original starter, add an extra 25g of each four and 50ml slightly warm water, and stir well. After a few days you should start to see bubbles on the surface, and it will smell yeasty. On day seven, the starter should be bubbly and smell much sweeter. It is now ready to be used.

Sourdough loaf

To watch a video showing how to knead dough, click on the ‘How to’ section at bbcgoodfood.com MAKES 1 loaf PREP 1 hr plus 8 days for the starter and 3 hrs rising COOK 40 mins EASY V

450g strong white lour, plus extra for dusting

50g wholemeal lour

10g ine salt

100g sourdough starter (see above)

1 Tip both the fours, 325ml warm water, the salt and the starter into a bowl, or a mixer ftted with a dough hook. Stir with a wooden spoon, or on a slow setting in the mixer until combined – add extra four if it’s too sticky or a little warm water if it’s dry.

2 Tip onto a lightly foured surface and knead for 10 mins until soft and elastic – you should be able to stretch it without it tearing. If you‘re using a mixer, turn up the speed a little and mix for 5 mins.

3 Place the dough in a foured bowl and cover with cling flm. Leave in a warm place to rise for 3 hrs. You may not see much movement, as sourdough takes much longer to rise. 4 Line a medium bowl with a clean tea towel and four it really well or four a proving basket. Tip the dough back onto your work surface and knead briefy to knock out any air bubbles. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and dust it with four. 5 Place the dough, seam-side up, in the bowl or proving basket, and leave at room temperature for

3 hrs, or in the fridge overnight, until risen by about a quarter.

6 Place a large baking tray in the oven and heat to 230C/210C fan/ gas 8. Fill a small roasting tin with water and place in the bottom of the oven to create steam. Remove the tray from the oven, sprinkle with four, then tip the dough onto it.

7 Slash the top a few times with a sharp knife to make a pattern (see below), then bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown. It should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

PER SERVING energy 245 kcals • fat 1g • saturates none • carbs 48g • sugars 1g • ibre 2g • protein 8g • salt 0.4g