The popularity of this slow-fermented loaf is showing no signs of slowing…
It’s one of the most ancient methods of leavening a loaf. But until, perhaps, a decade or so ago, sourdough seemed to have fallen out of favour and instead, ready-sliced, mass-produced loaves, ready to grab off the supermarket shelves became many shoppers’ daily bread of choice.
Now though, this slow-fermented loaf is having something of a renaissance, appearing on menus (these days, is it even a proper brunch without smashed avo on sourdough?) and shop shelves all over the place. And this rise in popularity is showing no signs of slowing any time soon. But what is it that makes sourdough quite so special?
SOMETHING SPECIAL
Suzanne Hiscott, Director (and baker!) at the Cornish Sourdough Bakery in Launceston, believes that there’s a few reasons behind our love affair with sourdough.
“The long fermentation process, and the time that goes into making sourdough creates a depth of flavour within the bread that I think makes it the best you will ever taste,” she says.
“People are realising that there’s a lot of mass-produced food on the market, and now they are making healthier choices,” she continues.
“Sourdough is the way we used to make bread in ancient times, and it was only really in the 50s that things changed. Additives and that sort of thing started to be added to the flour, and it’s no coincidence that since then people started having more and more intolerances to bread. Sometimes people think they are gluten intolerant, but actually they are just intolerant to the modern way of making this wonderful food.”
(This could be because in the sourdough process, gluten is broken down in a way that just doesn’t occur in yeasted bakes. It’s also worth noting that sourdough produces a lower surge in blood sugar than other breads.)
“We all know that during the Covid-19 lockdowns people started making their own bread,” adds Suzanne. “And I think that also made people realise, especially in rural areas, that there’s a convenience factor to making their own bread. There are no artificial additives and preservatives in sourdough, but the fermentation process produces lactic acid which acts as a natural preservative so sourdough actually lasts very well.
MANY FORMS
When most people think of sourdough, it’s usually an image of a rounded loaf, with a crisp, crackly crust. But sourdough is so much more than that. Although we tend to use the term “sourdough” to mean the type of bread, it actually refers to the method, in which a “starter” of combined flour and water is fermented over several days with regular additions of flour and water by the wild yeasts and lactobacilli naturally present in ground grain. This starter is then added to the dough, which is then left to rise for several hours, and it is this which creates the characteristic tangy taste.
“Sourdough can be all kinds of products,” explains Suzanne. “It is great as pizza dough, or can be croissants, or brioche. Basically, you can take any yeast recipe and adapt it to sourdough. The only difference is time. Yeast reacts very quickly while sourdough is a longer process.
“You can try using different flours, such as spelt, and you can experiment with different flavours too. You can add dried herbs or seaweed into the dry ingredients, or add wet ingredients, like fruit, during the fermentation process. Or you can just add different flavours when you are shaping your loaf, just before you put it in the proving basket. The advantage of that method is that you can just make one batch of dough!”
HOW IS IT DONE?
You might be forgiven for thinking that producing bread with so many seemingly magical qualities is a task beyond the capabilities of a mortal baker. But although there is undoubtedly a skill to baking a cracking sourdough (as there is with any type of bread, to be fair) it’s perhaps not as difficult as you might think.
The first thing you’ll need though, is a starter. And once you have one, if you keep feeding and maintaining it, it can last and last. Some bakers sell starters, but it’s easy enough to make your own.
“It’s easy to do,” says Suzanne. “All it takes is some flour, water and a bit of time and tinkering. Stone-ground flour is best as it is milled at a lower temperature which maintains more of the natural bacteria. Once you have a starter you can just use a bit, then refeed it. It’s a very useful tool to have in your fridge.”
Find a step-by-step guide to growing your own starter on page 31.
If you want to learn from the masters, The Cornish Sourdough Bakery run Sourdough Masterclasses.
Find out more at www.cornishsourdoughbakery.co.uk