Sourdough bread
Preparation Time: 24 hours 20 - 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Serves: Makes 1 loaf
A slight tang, this sourdough bread is chewy and delicious, as well as being the perfect recipe for making your first sourdough bread.
Ingredients
Sourdough starter
200ml (110 g) Snowflake cake or white bread flour
10ml castor sugar
200ml water
Bread dough
630g Snowflake cake flour
5ml salt
10ml castor sugar
10g (1 sachet) instant dry yeast
300ml lukewarm water
3ml bicarbonate of soda
60ml Extra flour for dusting
Method
- Sourdough starter: Place flour and sugar in a large bowl, then gradually add water and mix to form a smooth batter. Cover and leave in a warm place for about two days, stirring mixture after 24 hours, until it begins to bubble and rise.
- Bread dough: Sift 560 g of flour and salt together. Add sugar, mix and add yeast. Add dry ingredients to sourdough starter and mix well. Gradually add enough lukewarm water to mix to a soft dough.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 - 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm pace for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Knock down dough on a lightly floured surface. Sift remaining 70 g flour and bicarbonate of soda together, add to dough and knead until smooth. Shape into an oval-shaped bread. Press slightly to flatten.
- Place into a baking tray dusted with flour. Make diagonal cuts in dough, using a sharp knife. Dust with a little flour, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
