Making an artisan loaf of sourdough bread feels incredible rewarding and the good news is that it’s completely achievable!

Your first sourdough loaf will take some perseverance however once you’ve mastered this, you’ll be able to create endless varieties of bread, pizza, wholesome cakes, waffles and so much more.
 
First things first, you will need a Sourdough Starter which is a wild yeast culture as opposed to a commercial yeast. You can purchase a Lizzy Sourdough starter culture from Faithful to Nature who delivers countrywide.
 

I recently got to meet Helena Blok, Lizzy founder, baker and local sourdough expert. On tasting four of Helena’s moreish sourdough loaf recipes, I’m now even more of a fan of slow-fermented bread. Helena’s ‘Lizzy’ Sourdough Starter Culture has been nurtured since 2016, making it a very stable and particularly delicious strain. 
 

Helena has also developed a gluten-free starter and the latest addition to her range is the must-have Lizzy jar. Helena worked with Harriet of Hoets-Turner Ceramics and the result is a beautiful glazed ceramic jar with a loose fitted lid. It’s the perfect vessel in which to prepare your culture and of course adds a stylish touch to your kitchen.
 
These jars have just literally just come out of the kiln and are not yet available at any stockists.

To spread some holiday cheer, we are giving away one ceramic Lizzy jar (and a 7 gram sachet of authentic sourdough culture).

Hop over to my Instagram account to enter!

The two loaves featured in this blog post are both made from exactly the same recipe, the only difference is the way they have been scored and of course, the Sesame country loaf is rolled in seeds.
 

Click here for your downloadable recipe – HELENA’s CLASSIC LONG FERMENTED SOURDOUGH LOAF
 
Sourdough benefits:
* Bread made from cultured wild yeast has a better texture than commercially produced breads, made with instant yeast, preservatives, and other unnecessary additives like sugar.
* Sourdough culture contains lactobacilli which acts upon proteins (like gluten) and results in lactic acid as a by-product which lends sourdough its distinct flavour.
* Wild yeast culture Improves the bioavailability of nutrients in bread making it easier to digest.

All photography: Lana Kenney