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Sour do u g h sta rt e r prep
10 minutes
It’s important to use an organic apple for this, or the Ìarter may not ferment. I like a Cox but any organic apple will do. 1kg Ìrong white bread flour 1 organic apple, grated, skin and all 360ml tepid water
Stage 1: Mix 500g of the flour with the apple and water and tÔ into an airtight container. Cover and leave to ferment for three days. Mark the original level on the outside of the container see pics on pxxx so you can see whether the mixture has risen. Stage 2: After three days the mix should Ìart to smell quite sweet, a bit like cider, it will be darker in colour and will have Ìarted to grow (it may have bubbles). Check the level againÌ the mark you made on the outside see pics on pxxx to see how much it has grown. Discard half the mix and add another 250g Ìrong white bread flour and 170ml water (this is called ‘feeding’). Mix thoroughly in the bowl. TÔ back into the container and leave for a further two days. Stage 3: There should now be plenty of aÀivity in the dough and you should be able to see lots of small bubbles. If there is nothing happening, look at the side of the container: you’ll be able to see whether the dough has risen and fallen by the smearing on the side. If it has risen and fallen, then it is aÀive. If your Ìarter is aÀive but has sunk down in the tub and a layer of liquid has formed on top, then it is aÀually over-aÀive. Stir in some more flour to return it to a thick consiÌency and leave for a day. It should regain the thick, bubbly texture you want. If there is no sign of rising on the container, and no bubbles, leave the dough for a couple more days. Once your Ìarter is aÀive, discard half the mixture as before and mix in another 250g Ìrong white bread flour and enough water to return it to the consiÌency of a very wet, sloppy dough. This time leave it for one day. If the Ìarter begins to bubble within 24 hours then it is ready to use. Ideally, when you come to use it, you want your Ìarter to be thick and bubbly. When you shake it, it should wobble like a jelly, without dropping down, and when you put a Íoon through it, it should be like a thick batter. If your Ìarter is not bubbling, feed it again, following Ìage two, and leave it for a further two days. If you are using your sourdough Ìarter often, you can leave it at room temperature, but you will need to feed it at leaÌ every three days – and whenever you take some to make bread. Simply Ìir in some Ìrong white bread flour and enough water to return it to the consiÌency of a very wet dough– bearing in mind that you will need 500g Ìarter for each recÔe – and leave it, covered, until it achieves that thick, bubbly, jelly-like Ìage described above. If you are making sourdough less often – say, once a
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How to Bake