Making Your Sourdough

To create a basic sourdough loaf the first stage is creating your sourdough and the second stage is creating your bread dough. Essentially the sourdough stage is a method to increase your starter from its original amount to the amount needed to successfully leaven your bread dough. Additionally there needs to be enough sourdough created to also allow you to remove the amount added as starter – effectively cycling your starter as well as making bread.

To begin use the following methods:

How to make a sourdough

How to make a bread dough

Or if you are making our 100% Rye bread which is especially good for people with gluten sensitivities

How to make a rye bread dough.

As your expertise increases you will want to make grain and fruit loaves and even more specialised types of sourdough. To make grain loaves of sourdough bread you will use the following method:

How to make a soaker.

The best way to begin is to follow one of our recipes and this will show you the correct methods to use.

2 replies on “Making Your Sourdough”

Hi
I am new to sourdough baking but have purchased your app and tried making the Rustic White Sourdough.
I habe only baked twice before but this was definately my most successful. The crumb was good but not as light as I think yours is. It’s a little heavy and more doughy consistency. I am thinking it might just need more kneading perhaps.
Can you provide any suggestions that might help me please.
Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Clayton

Hi Clayton,

Sorry we haven’t replied to your email yet, it is on Kon’s to do list! Two things to consider when you first start out is your starter may not be mature and it can take 4-5 cycles to get there. Each time you make bread you are essentially recycling your starter as you take it out after the sourdough stage before you add the sourdough to the bread dough. The other issue is that it is quite hard to get your dough developed until your kneading technique improves. Remember to rest the dough for a few minutes after kneading for a few minutes. Test by trying to stretch the dough until you can form a translucent window. If the dough tears then it isn’t developed. Remember though if you are retarding the dough by putting it in the refrigerator overnight then it will give it plenty of time to develop. Also a shameless plug for the Provenance flour but it is a beautiful flour to work with and develops fairly quickly.
Don’t give up as it take a bit of time to get the expertise but it is a fun journey with plenty of great tasting bread along the way. Cheers Karen.

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