Thank you very much … that’s probably our first helpful comment ever. I’ll give your technique a go.

Thanks again

R

450g strong white flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sourdough
1 1/2 cups water

Mix the sourdough and water, add the flour and salt and mix well to a sticky dough. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 18 hours.

Turn out onto a wet surface, spread out like a pizza, then fold the two edges in thirds to the middle (like a menu), then in half. Lightly grease a bowl, dust with cornmeal or flour, then drop in the dough, messy-edge up. Leave for 2-3 hours. Turn out onto a baking tray, bake at 230C for 30 minutes, then a further 15 minutes. For best results, bake in a casserole dish that has been pre-heated to in the oven, removing the lid for the last 15 minutes.

Well thanks for your concern. I think the problem was a combination of overly complicated recipe and an exhausted, possibly dead, starter. I’ve since bought an excellent book on the subject and intend to continue with the experiment in the new year.

In the meantime, any tips/advice would be much appreciated.

Violet Cakes looks interesting – you a professional baker?

Thanks again

R

I’ll be giving a different recipe a go over the next week or two and will post it up if it is a success. In the meantime, here is the recipe I tried (and failed).

Good luck … or why don’t you try the Chewy Light Rye Bread – it’s dark, fairly involved and very, very tasty.

R