This recipe is for a sourdough with our 100% Maris Widgeon flour, milled from a beautiful English heritage grain. Well suited to regenerative and organic systems of farming, Maris Widgeon is also famously prized by thatchers for its long straw which lasts for many years. For every acre, Maris Widgeon yields less than half the amount of wheat of many modern varieties, but its quality and flavour are so fantastic we have worked with farmers for over 40 years to encourage the grown of this heritage variety, and help retain genetic diversity. 

Difficulty level: This organic, UK grown heritage wheat creates a flour with a lower protein content than your typical strong white bread flour, but it can create superb breads including sourdough. Chris therefore recommends this recipe for bakers who are already comfortable baking sourdough with medium to experienced skill levels.   

I used a dark rye starter for this particular loaf but a wholemeal or white starter will be fine as well.

Feed the starter the day before and leave out overnight. The next day it should be nice and bubbly. 

Mixing method 1 – by hand:

Place all the ingredients in to a bowl and mix well until well incorporated, then cover and set aside.  

• Fold the dough every 30 minutes for two hours (so four folds in total), then leave it for one hour to rest.

Mixing method 2 – electric mixer:

• If you prefer you can mix the dough in a mixer. If so, mix the flour and water for 8-10 minutes then add the starter and mix for another 1-2 minutes. Finally add the salt and mix again for 1-2 minutes.
• Fold the dough 1-2 times during a 3hr bulk.
•  Once mixed and when folding you want to leave the dough in a warm place to try and maintain a dough temperature in the mid to high 20’s C.
• After the 3 hours the dough should have risen and feel nice and pillowy in texture.
• Next, tip the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and shape it to fit your basket. Because the Maris Wigeon is lower in gluten be gentle when shaping so you don’t tear the dough. 
• Place into a well-floured basket (the best is a mix of white flour and rice flour) and leave out for about one hour before placing in the fridge overnight.