Baking bread needs patience, care and practice. But it's so fufilling and exciting. 

It's hard to describe the excitement I get when it's baking in the oven and all the yeasty aromas start wafting out of the oven. And watch the bread grow and rise is perhaps the most fufilling of all. 

// look at them holes!//

This is my first time making a sourdough loaf, and I guess it turned out alright. My starter is relatively new (and it's a cheat method!) so it doesn't have that natural yeast fragrance like a natural sourdough starter has, but it works just as well. 

I love how dough feels in my hands, the act of kneading, shaping and chafing. The pillowy, light dough, dancing in your hands. It's like you are in control of it, and you can change the shape, size and patterns however you like, in any way you prefer. You could make them into little batards, mini baguettes or a large boule like I did. 

Starter:

2 tsp dry yeast 

1 1/4 cups water 

2 cups bread flour 

Mix ingredients for the starter together, and leave to ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days, stirring twice a week.

Dough:

1 cup of starter

1 cup water 

1/2 cup rye flour 

2 1/2 cups bread flour 

1 1/2 tsp salt 

Mix flour, salt, flours, water, yeast and starter. 

Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Prove in a clean bowl until doubled in size, about 2 hours. 

Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a floured baking sheet. Lightly flour the top of the loaf. 

Prove for 1 1/2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 215 degrees celsius. 

Slash the dough with 2 slashes horizontally and 2 slashes diagonally, using a very shape knife or blade. 

Bake for 1 hour, until the crust is golden brown and crisp, and the bottom is hollow when tapped. 

The remaining started can be replenished with 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water, fermented at room temperature at 12 hours before being kept in the fridge.