This week we have a recipe you will just loaf. Bash is back and this time she will be showing us her secret behind making the perfect sourdough from scratch. Ready, bready, bake!

Sourdough dates back to ancient Egypt. In fact, it was the only form of leavened bread that existed until just a few centuries ago when commercial yeast became readily available. What can we say, we love bringing a bit of…culture…to our recipes (sorry).

The name might just give this away but sourdough has a bit more of a sour taste than other breads, this is because of the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli (fancy, ey). Okay, okay biology lesson over lets get baking.

Bash’s recipe will take you through each step of making sourdough from creating your starter, perfecting your leaven all the way to popping it in the oven.

This recipe is little tricky, but grab your flour and give it a good…dough.

Step 1 – Prep is key

Making sourdough from scratch is like going for a posh meal. There are three main parts (aka courses) beginning with your starter!

When making sourdough preparation is key, as you ideally need to begin making your starter a week before you make your dough.

Step 2 – Making your starter

Start by mixing the water and flour for the starter and leave in a tub over night in a warm place.

Add the same amounts of flour and water to the starter and leave again for another day.

After about four days of doing that feed the starter by doing 100g starter, 100g water and 100g flour. Continue this process until it is nice and lively.

Step 3 – Making your leaven

You need to do this the night before you make the dough. Make sure the starter is fed in the morning.

In the afternoon mix all the ingredients together to make the leaven in a bowl. Cling film and leave in a warm place overnight. It’s almost like making another little starter…

Step 3 – no rest for the…dough

Mix the flour, leaven, malt and large amount of water in a mixer with the dough hook for 7 minutes on a low speed, then cover the machine and leave the dough to rest for an hour.

Next, add the water and salt and mix for a further 3 minutes and then put in a bowl to rest/prove.

After 30 minutes fold the bread. Repeat this process 6 times.

After the 6th turn leave to prove.

Mould the bread and leave in the fridge overnight.

Step 4 – turn up the heat

Mould your bread and score the top with a knife to give it that classic sourdough finish.

The next morning cook at 240 degrees for 20 minutes then turn down to 180 degrees for a further 20 minutes. The time may vary slightly dependant on your oven and what size loaf you decide to make.