Master the art of sourdough bread with this fabulous recipe

Unleash your inner baker with Bread Ahead’s starter recipe to create the perfect sourdough bread.

Developed by Matthew Jones, Bread Ahead’s Founder), even newbie bakers can achieve delicious results. He commented, “sourdough is the pillar of Bread Ahead’s baking beliefs – an ancient method that is being brought back to the forefront of the baking industry.” Sourdough differs from most bread in that it contains no baker’s yeast, relying instead on a fermented “starter” of water and flour, which is where the renowned sour flavour and chewy texture comes from.

Ingredients

To make the starter (day 1)

• 50g good quality wholegrain rye flour
• 50g water

Additions to the starter (days 2-5)

• 50g flour
• 50g water

Final addition to the starter when you are ready to bake

• 100g flour
• 100g water

To make the sourdough

• 1kg strong white flour
• 700ml water
• 300ml of your starter
• 20g salt

Method

To make the starter, add the whole grain flour and water to a bowl and mix together until smooth. Cover and leave on top of your fridge. Repeat the steps for day 1 on day 2, 3, 4 and 5. Your starter should be nice and lively with some bubbling and a slight alcoholic aroma. You can store your starter in the fridge now for up to 2 weeks, untouched.

When you want to make your bread, simply take the starter out of the fridge and feed it with 100g flour and 100g water. Leave out at room temperature for 8 hours, then you are ready to get baking!

To make a simple loaf of bread, gently mix all of the ingredients together, cover and place in the fridge for 8-24 hours. Bring out of the fridge and fold the dough. Leave for two hours.

Shape the dough into a banneton (a proving bowl). For best results place in the fridge again for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Bring out of the fridge and leave to prove for 4 hours.

Bake in a hot oven at 220 C for 30 mins. Take out and enjoy your first creation!

Top tip from Matthew Jones

“Make your own starter – combining small equal quantities of water, flour and time, letting it ferment for around five days. The sourdough’s popularity is down to being an all-rounder bread, much easier to digest and from a flavour perspective it’s much tastier!”

Grab a taster at Bread Ahead in Mall of Emirates, offering loaves of Brown Sourdough (AED 30), White Sourdough (AED 25) and quarter portions of Sourdough Pizzas featuring signature Margherita (AED 26), Veggie (AED 28), Spicy Chicken (AED 35) and Pepperoni (AED 30).

The sourdough baking workshop is one of the most popular courses at the Bread Ahead Bakery School, which is set to open in the UAE soon.

Mall of Emirates, Level 1. Open daily from 10-1am. For more information, visit the website or Instagram