SOUR or MOTHER

100g Swiss Dark Flour
100g Hot water - 30-35ºC (corrected from original quanitity of 75g as a result of comments below)

1. Mix to a creamy batter and stand in a warm room for 24 hrs.
2. Then feed this mix with 2 tbspns of flour and 4 tbspns of hot water, stand for 24 hrs.
3. Repeat this process for 3 days, and by this time the "Mother" or Sour should be fermenting well and ready to use.
4. Carry on feeding this each day to keep it going.
5. If you do not wish to use it for a few days, place it in the fridge and feed again after taking it out and stand for 24 hours at room temperature before using.

DOUGH

500g Swiss dark flour
10g Salt
10g Yeast
2g Malt extract
350g Warm water
50g Sour (Mother)

1. Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix to a full dough - the dough will be tacky and wet, but make sure you develop it well.
2. Place on a well floured tray and stand for 1 hour,
3. Tip out onto a work surface and, without pushing the gas out, fold over.
4. Turn round (the dough!) and repeat folding the other way.
5. Place back onto the floured baking tray and stand for 2 hours.
6. Tip the dough onto the work surface and without pushing the gas out cut off pieces of dough to your required size
7. Place on a well floured baking sheet and prove at room temperature for about 2 hours. It will not appear to grow in size much, but all the action is going on inside!
8. Pre-heat the oven to 210ºC and place the fully proved product into the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

The bread will have a very open crumb with a heavy, rich crust.