Doves Farm's White Spelt Sourdough
Baking the perfect sourdough is no mean feat. Taking place over a number of days, the sourdough baking process can fail at multiple points, making a name for itself as one of the most elusive breads to bake successfully.
Lending a helping hand are sourdough specialists and all-round baking experts, Doves Farm, whose Salisbury bakery provides the very finest organic breads and flour.
This recipe makes 1 loaf. You will need a 25cm round banneton, parchment and large oven tray.
Ingredients
Starter
- 8-10 tbsp Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Spelt Flour
- 8-10 tbsp tepid water
Ferment
- 50g Spelt Starter (from above)
- 100g Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Spelt Flour
- 150ml tepid water
Dough
- 300ml Spelt Ferment (from above)
- 400g Doves Farm Organic White Spelt Flour
- 100ml tepid water
- Flour for dusting
Method
Starter
On the first day, put one tablespoon of flour and one of water into a 500ml glass bowl and mix together. Cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place for about 12 hours.
After the 12 hours have passed, add another tablespoon of flour and another of water, mix together, cover loosely and leave for another 12 hours.
On day two (24 hours since beginning your starter), stir in a third tablespoon of flour and a third spoon of water, stir to mix, cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
For the second feed on day two, add a tablespoon of flour and one of water, stir to mix, cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
For the first feed of day three (36 hours since beginning your starter), increase the feed by adding two tablespoons of flour and two of water, stir to mix, cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
On the second feed of day three add two tablespoons of flour and another two of water, mix together and, cover loosely and leave for another 12 hours.
At this point your starter should be bubbly and ready to create your ferment. If the starter is not showing bubbles, repeat the 12-hour flour and water feeding routine, and ensure the starter is kept in a constantly warm place.Ferment1. Once your starter is bubbly, stir the starter and then measure 50g of the starter into a large mixing bowl.
Add 100g flour and 150ml water, stir to make a paste, cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place for 4-12 hours until bubbles appear. When bubbly, your ferment is ready to use (you can either dispose of any unused starter after bread making or keep and feed it regularly until your next baking session).
Dough
Dust the inside of the banneton with flour and line a large oven tray with parchment.
Add the white spelt flour and water to the bowl of ferment and stir to mix.3. Using your hands gather everything, gently pressing into a sticky ball of dough.
Knead the dough in the bowl for 100 presses without adding flour.
Put the dough into the prepared banneton, cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place until double in size which may take 4–12 hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C.
Remove the cling film and very gently turn the bread out of the banneton onto the prepared oven tray.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, then leave to cool on a wire rack.
