I am now reverting from experimentation with levain starter to dried yeast in small quantities and achieving excellent bread time after time. My own levain worked well for a while but was inconsistent and developed crusty moulds.
So my proven system is 400 - 600 gms organic white flour (I prefer Laucke Super Soft White Bread mix) about one and a half cups of water and no more than a half teaspoon of dried yeast. Sprinkle the yeast on the flour and stir into the flour with a whisk..
Make a well in the flour and tip in a cup of water. Stir with a wooden spoon, adding extra water if it is too dry until you have a quite wet shaggy-looking ball in the mixing bowl.
Cover the bowl with cling film and leave for 5 hours or more at room temperature until it has expanded with a honeycomb appearance.
Ease it out of the bowl on to a floured surface with a spatula and roll it about gently.
I wash the bowl and put 'baby' back in the covered bowl for about two hours by which time it will have nearly doubled in volume. I then put a heatproof baking bowl into the oven heated to 230C.
Pour the 'baby' into the bowl and cook for 35-40 minutes. Give light misting spray of water and return to the oven for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Place on a rack and leave until cooled - preferably 8 hours. It should have a good crust and an open texture - 'holey' bread.
Time does the kneading - no worry, no hurry - and the system develops humidity which is one of the secrets of a good old-fashioned loaf.
BREAD OF HEAVEN....................
