How We Make Our Sourdough
Real sourdough takes time, patience, and a living starter. Here is how we make ours, from feeding the culture to pulling the loaves from the oven.
Sourdough has become fashionable, but for us at Wedges it is simply part of what we do. Real sourdough is made with just three ingredients: flour, water, and salt. No commercial yeast, no improvers, no shortcuts. The magic comes from the wild yeast and bacteria in the starter culture.
Our Starter
Every sourdough begins with a starter — a living culture of wild yeast and lactobacillus bacteria that ferments the dough. Ours is fed twice daily with a mix of strong white and wholemeal flour. It lives in the bakery, and our bakers treat it like a member of the team.
A healthy starter smells pleasantly tangy, like ripe fruit or mild vinegar. It should be bubbly and active, doubling in size within a few hours of feeding. If it looks sluggish, we give it extra feeds until it is back to full strength.
The Process
- Evening: Mix the dough — flour, water, salt, and a portion of active starter
- Night: The dough ferments slowly in the cool bakery. This long, slow rise develops the complex flavours that quick-rise bread cannot match.
- Early morning: Shape the loaves and place them in proving baskets
- Dawn: Score the tops and bake in a hot oven with steam for a blistered, crackling crust
- Morning: The finished loaves cool on racks before going out to the shop
Why It Tastes Better
The long fermentation does more than develop flavour. It also breaks down the phytic acid in the flour, which can make bread harder to digest. Many people who struggle with regular bread find that genuine sourdough is much gentler on their stomachs.
"Real sourdough cannot be rushed. The long, slow fermentation is what gives it that depth of flavour and chewy, open crumb."
The crust should crackle when you squeeze the loaf. The crumb should be open and airy, with an irregular pattern of holes. The flavour should be mildly tangy, complex, and deeply satisfying. That is what we aim for with every bake.
Our sourdough is available daily at the Hockley Heath shop. It tends to sell out by mid-morning, so come early if you want to grab a loaf.