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These are your basic Ambient Sourdough Boule Lessons. It is the method I most often recommend to beginners to start with, and because it keeps you in touch with your dough all day you develop a more of a sense of the fermentation process.

Sometimes this is referred to as a straight dough method. This method is based on the way I was first taught to make bread in South-West France as a girl, in the village bakery. The bakery was built in 1750.  There were no fridges in the 18th century! The Ambient method dough is mixed early in the morning, about 8am using leaven that had been left to ferment overnight. It has a relatively quick rise in a warm environment (the dough is kept at an optimal dough fermentation temperature during the day. With this method, you bake your bread between 4 - 6pm so it is ready for your supper and it makes wonderful toast the next day. It is also a less sour flavoured loaf.

Ther Ambient method is also the technique I most favour for cakes, and the easy overnight tinned loaves. It's very versatile.