Under starters orders
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| Complete with chocolate deer poo |
As you know I have a slightly unnerving
I have some geeky linky things in here but this post is unsponsored.
Having religiously watched GBBO and relentlessly told myself how I'd actually never be good enough for that - those technical challenges are something else, I decided I need to start stretching my horizons a bit. I'm also toying with the idea of getting serious so I have been doing some market research and some training! The market research is incredibly testing, having to go and seek out cake shops and sampling their wares is understandably tough, my waist line is growing and my thighs spreading... The training, however, was immensely fun. Is training supposed to be fun? I came away from my day at Limini Coffee, a barista and also full of excitement and positivity not to mention caffeine! My pupils were dilated for about 3 days! I've also been trying new recipes, tweaking old favourites and also trying the ultimate in the Holy Grail of baking - a sourdough loaf. (I feel there should be a suitably heady musical accompaniment to that section?). The examples of this type of bread are so magnificent that it is enough to stop you in your tracks, for proof have a look at Phil Clayton, Haxby Baker bread. Making a sourdough, for those that are not familiar with this type of bread, cannot be done on a whim (although conversely Peter Sidwell seems to have a cheaty version in his book?) as one needs to have a Starter in ones baking arsenal first.
A starter is a yeast culture from which all your sourdoughs are grown. It takes at least a fortnight to ferment and become fully active and has to be fed and nurtured daily. It was this commitment that had thus far put me off, I mean who in their right mind takes on a responsibility like that - the commitment is up there with a new puppy for heavens sake. On 5th December I took the plunge and followed Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's starter instructions. Each day thereafter I took a bit out put a but in, sniffed it, recoiled from it (the smell is quite unsavoury at times), until after 3 weeks, as we have a cold house, it started to smell not unpleasant but something similar to a cider. I'm teetotal so any whiff of alcoholic tang and I'm repulsed that this smell, sweet but definitely fermented no longer caused me to bounce away from the jar. The texture had become very light and foamy...can you see how I have actually become attached to this thing? I'm describing it with a fondness usually reserved for family and pets? Anyway I seem to have the starter thing cracked and that has been rewarding in itself. Then the real fun started I decided to make something with it. Sourdough loaves are reserved for real Artisans, they taunt you with their cracked and golden surface, that crunchy crust and chewy inner. I have read through many baking books and frankly its a confusing world out their, some prove it only once, some prove it in half hour stints (they don't have 3 kids, 3 dogs and 2 businesses to manage do they?) others prove it twice - I followed the simplest route and that was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipe in River Cottage Everyday. My results have been varied, somewhat hindered when I kept forgetting the salt. I've created a little gallery...
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| Multigrain Sourdough |
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| White Sourdough |
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| Getting a bit more slash confidence! |
I've enjoyed the journey, my body needs to do some exercise to combat all the carbs, my kids are asking for "normal bread, its tastes funny mummy" so my starter is in the fridge and the yeast jar is back out whilst we have a bit of cakey bread that can be cut without the assistance of a Stihl saw. I lost my crown in a mint humbug before Christmas and I have panicked whilst chewing sourdough crusts that its fate was sealed yet again but so far so good. You have been warned.
It's a commitment, it takes time yet its not difficult. I'm still wondering how dark it should be when it comes out? Have fun and good luck!
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