Sourdough Basics, a Morning
A starter, a schedule, and two loaves. The slowest class we run.
- How longFour hours
- Group sizeSix people
- Price£85 a place
- When it runsOne Sunday a month, 8am to noon
- Who it suitsBaked something before
Sourdough is not difficult so much as long, and most of the trouble people have with it is a timing problem rather than a technique problem. This class is mostly about the schedule: what has to happen when, and what you can move to suit the rest of your life.
How the morning goes
We start at eight with a dough that was mixed the night before, so there is something to work with straight away. You fold it, shape it and watch it into the oven, and while it bakes you mix your own from the beginning, which is the loaf you carry home to bake.
In between we look at starters. How to feed one, how to tell whether it is ready, what to do if you forget it for a fortnight, and why the smell tells you more than the bubbles do. Everyone leaves with a jar.
What you should know before booking
Six rather than eight, because sourdough needs more bench for each person and more of our attention at the shaping. It is a four hour class and starts early on a Sunday, which some people find harder than the baking.
If your kitchen is cold, which most are for half the year, proofing dough in a cold kitchen will save you a lot of guessing when you get home. Flour matters more here than in the other classes, so choosing flour is worth reading too.
What you take home
- A loaf baked in the class, cooled on the way home
- A second loaf, shaped and boxed, to keep in the fridge and bake in your own oven that evening
- A jar of our starter, with instructions for keeping it alive
- A written three day schedule you can pin up and follow
Booking and changes
Paid in full when you book. Seven days notice to move or cancel with a full refund. Inside seven days we will try to fill the place and refund you if we do. If we cancel, you get everything back.
The other three classes
Before you come
One flight of stairs, no lift, and you will be standing for most of it. Wheat, milk, egg, soya, sesame and peanuts are all in the room. Aprons and boxes are provided. Tell us about anything else when you book and we will work around it.