A couple of days ago I started my first sour dough starter; sadly the weather was just a bit too hot and it died! So being a determined lass i made up a new lot and have put it in the laundry cupboard to grow. This lot did absolutely nothing.
I got the recipe out and have remade it. I suspect my mistake may have been that I used a cup of flour and a cup of COLD water , when warm water is what is needed to get the growing process started.
So I've started it again . I've mixed 1 cup of wholemeal plain flour and 1 cup of warmish water together and have left them in a jug in the laundry cupboard. The recipe I am using for the starter is as simple as one cup of flour added to one cup of warm water and mixed. Then you place it in an open container made of glass or plastic in a warm clean area. Like a cupboard or pantry. Then every 24 hours you tip half out and add another 1/2 a cup of flour and 1/2 cup of warm water. This gooey concoction should start to gather natural yeast from the air which then begins to grow, you will know if its working if their are bubbles on the surface. My first lot exploded but since then have been having trouble getting the brew happening, bit now it seems to be doing what is required as there are bubbles forming on the top!!!
This is how our grandmothers and their mothers made bread before you could buy yeast in a packet.Very simple and natural. I will take photos of it as it progresses and when I finally am able to use it will of course show a pic of the final baked result!
