Purely Rye Sourdough - Part 2

Day 2

Well, after a night resting in the fridge, the rye sourdough wasn't looking as if it felt like co-operating. Using lots of flour, and quite a lot of care, I shaped it, and put it in the tin.

James Morton says "This is not like any other bread dough, and doesn't take kindly to being shaped, so respect it and it will respect you back."

I don't know about that. It was reasonably bubbly when it came out of the bowl, but even though I handled it very carefully, it sat in the tin looking very resentful. I now have to rest it at room temperature for four to six hours, until it has doubled in size. From the sullen looks it gave me, I think it could easily take eight hours, or even more.

That presents a problem, as there is currently hardly any bread in the house, apart from a corner of the massive miche I made a few days ago. It has been hard work, eating my way through that, even though the crust fortunately became softer, and no longer threatens to break my teeth. [Pro tip: bullet-proof bread can be tamed by putting it in a plastic bag in the fridge, just the way you are supposed not to.]

I decided to go back to my bread baking roots, and make a white loaf, using the recipe I used for many years, before I read "Brilliant Bread".

Using a pound and a half of very strong white flour [roughly 680g], a sachet of dried yeast, and a pint of water [about 590g] I made a lovely stretchy dough, that I will be able to cook while I'm waiting for the rye sourdough to stop sulking. I've rested it for half an hour, since this picture was taken, and will now knead and shape it, and put it in my other tin. Part 3 will be along fairly soon...