White and Rye Sourdough
As I'm feeling quite proud of myself so I wanted to share. I've reached a stage where I can produce the loaves below reliably.
[1] I'm currently making them in a single day:
sponge: 100g or so of starter*, 250g Organic White flour , 300ml water , dough - add 250g white , 50g Organic Rye, 11g salt and a slug of Oil (basically taken from the River Cottage Everyday book with more water added)
I have a shelf above an oil heater in my house - I keep the temperature on the shelf at about 28 degrees (measured on one of my oven thermometers), sponge is made when I get up (between 6 and 7) , dough around 13:00 - 14:00 ish assuming good starter progress, shaping late afternoon ish and baking when I get round to it - sometimes as late as 22:00 or even 23:00
Dough gets 2-3 minutes kneading, few french folds and then 3-4 stretch and folds at 40mins to 1 hour intervals - depending on meetings and children (I work from home)
It has good taste, texture and great crust
Next stop - wholemeal sourdough
(Also I've discovered if I don't call it "sourdough" the children love it too)
*I scientifically keep my starter at the consistency of a thickish liquid :-)