Baking expert Elaine Boddy has shared her ‘master recipe’ for perfect sourdough, which she says is ‘much simpler than you may be thinking’ – and warned people are overcomplicating the process.
Crafting your own bread at home, like a sourdough loaf, not only gives you full control over the ingredients but also allows you to tweak it to your personal taste. Sourdough is often lauded as one of the healthiest bread options available, with the British Heart Foundation noting its lower glycaemic index, which means it won’t spike your blood sugar levels as much as standard bread.
While the art of sourdough can appear intimidating, with many bakers recounting numerous trials before achieving their ideal loaf, Elaine Boddy, a celebrated baking guru and author of four acclaimed bread-making books, reassures that it’s easier than it looks.
“For anyone new to sourdough, keep in mind that it’s much simpler than you may be thinking,” she encourages.
She observes that the process has been unnecessarily complicated by some, causing undue fear and difficulty: “A lot of people have overcomplicated the whole process and made it seem scary and hard to make when it really isn’t.”
Elaine has witnessed countless newcomers to sourdough become bogged down, baffled, and stressed, despite the fact that the process should be straightforward and enjoyable.
However, even the most meticulous bakers can sometimes end up with loaves that are too sticky, gummy, or fragile, which Elaine identifies as signs of over-proofing, reports the Express.
To help home bakers navigate these challenges, especially in warmer conditions, Elaine offers a valuable tip: “A top tip for home bakers right now: to avoid your dough over-proofing in the warmer temperatures, use less starter.
“You can go as low as you need to, right down to 5g and less, and it will still work.”
The bread-making maestro spilled the beans on her foolproof sourdough method: “This is my master recipe. It’s the basis for everything I do and forms the starting point for all of my recipes.”
Ingredients
- 50g starter (or less)
- 500g strong white bread flour, preferably Matthews Cotswold Flour, Churchill’s white flour
- 350g water
- 1tsp salt
How to make sourdough
Elaine’s method involves a few simple steps, including pulling and folding the dough several times over a couple of hours before leaving it to prove on the kitchen counter overnight.
By cutting back on the starter quantity, just as Elaine recommends, the mixture develops at a gentle rhythm, eliminating any risk of over-proving.
When dawn breaks, she moulds the risen dough within the bowl to suit a banneton, pops it in the fridge briefly, then slashes and bakes it directly from a stone-cold oven.
“No preheating, no hot pans to deal with – works perfectly!” she declared.
Once you’ve cracked the fundamental formula, Elaine urges bakers to dabble with various tastes and additions in their sourdough ventures.
