Sourdough Bread try #2 - July 1st 2015

Now I have tried and failed to make homemade bread countless times.  I am beginning to think that bread making and I do not mix, pardon the pun.

Maybe I am setting my standards too high, I have this image in my head of producing the most gorgeous, rustic tasty loaf day after day, whilst at the same time being able to do some flower arranging, paint a masterpiece and provide a delicious evening meal for when my darling husband and delightful, clean children come home, because in that alternate universe I am a Stepford Wife.

Well that's the dream, the reality of the matter is I suck so bad at making bread that my beautiful rustic loaf either comes out like a giant biscuit or like a gone wrong mushroom cloud.  Sometimes the loaf is so hard you could literally build a bomb shelter out of it, no joke.  All this whilst trying to keep on top of the mountain of laundry, clean up yogurt from the floor, worktop and walls, scrape toothpaste off the side of bathroom sink, pick up grotty underwear, knock something together to stop the sprogs gnawing the furniture when they come home black as the road...the list goes on.

The 'starter'

I am throwing caution to the wind!!  Those pants are just going to have to stay there!  Welded on weetabix?  Not today brother!  I am going to have another bash at sourdough bread,  I have had the starter 'yeasting' away for 24 hours, and it kinda smells like a brewery.

The recipe - yes the RECIPE folks - I am using was in this April's edition of the BBC Good Food magazine http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cheats-sourdough I was so excited I started straight away, and ended up with a baked giant splat, even the kids looked at me stupid when I told them it was bread.  And I hasten to add, it looked nothing like the picture.  As I said recipes aren't my strongest suit.  Still onwards and upwards!

All ready to prove

Other supermarket bags are available

So I did everything according to the recipe, made starter - Check, weighed out flour, measured water - Check, mixed everything together - Check.

Now what this recipe doesn't tell you is how you are supposed to knead for 5-7 minutes the big ball of floury goop which sticks to every surface like bloody glue.  Honestly if you put wall paper up with this stuff it ain't never coming off...ever.  I did my very best to knead the dough but ended up spreading it over the work top with doughy hands that looked looked like the elephant man had an accident in the bread factory.  In the end, in true Melissa style, I chucked it in the bowl and covered it, I have, as good timing would have it, run out of cling film hence the carrier bag.

I'll check back with the results, ooo I am on tenterhooks!

Love Melissa x