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The Sourdough Day

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The Sourdough Day

£195.00 Inclusive

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23 May
£195.00
16 Jul
£195.00
23 Aug
£195.00
18 Sep
£195.00
1 day
Adult
Close
10:00 - 17:00

Sourdough and Bread Baking at River Cottage with Andy Tyrell

Spend the day mastering the art of sourdough and bread baking at River Cottage, guided by expert chef and baker Andy Tyrell.

Your day begins by learning the foundations of traditional sourdough, using wild yeasts and natural fermentation to create bread that is full of flavour, texture and easier to digest. From there, you will explore a variety of breads, from open crumb country loaves to seeded rye, pizza dough and even a beautifully shaped fougasse.

With hands-on guidance you will cover essential techniques including choosing the right flour, creating and maintaining a sourdough starter, kneading and shaping, working with high hydration doughs and achieving the best results from your oven. Each step is designed to give you practical skills and confidence to bake exceptional bread at home.

This hands-on sourdough and bread baking course at River Cottage will leave you inspired and equipped to create a wide range of delicious breads, full of character and flavour, ready to enjoy with family and friends.

Is this course suitable for me? This course isn’t suitable for those with dairy or gluten intolerances. We recommend this course for participants aged 12 and up. Under-16s must be accompanied by a paying adult. These guidelines are in place to ensure the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of all our guests. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or need more information.

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME

If you choose to walk, enjoy a 10–15 minute stroll from the car park along scenic pathways to the farm, taking in the stunning valley views. A Land Rover lift is available in poor weather or if you prefer not to walk. Once at the cookery school, meet your host and start the day with tea, coffee, and freshly baked treats.

FLOUR

To kick things off, you’ll learn about the different types of flour, why we use organic ingredients, and how they impact the flavour, structure, and volume of your sourdough.

STARTER

We’ll guide you through starting your own sourdough culture and share simple methods to keep your starter happy and active for years to come.

PERCENTAGES & CALCULATIONS

Crucial in a bakery and helpful at home, we’ll teach you how to use these calculations to adapt recipes in your own kitchen.

MIXING, KNEADING, SHAPING

We’ll get our hands dirty, exploring modern folding techniques and traditional kneading methods that help develop your dough the right way. Throughout the day, you’ll have the opportunity to make a variety of loaves, including a River Cottage country loaf, hybrid baguettes, seedy rye, wood-fired pizza, and a fougasse. With guidance from our tutors, you’ll have plenty of practice perfecting your shaping skills.

LUNCH

Enjoy a delicious wood-fired sourdough pizza for lunch, topped with fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients.

FERMENTATION

We’ll explore the fascinating science behind sourdough and discover what makes this bread so unique.

PROVING & BAKING

It can be tricky to know when your loaf is ready for the oven, but we’ll teach you how to judge it perfectly. We’ll also explore different methods of baking in domestic ovens to achieve top-class results.

WASTE

We’ll show you how to easily use up any ‘excess’ starter in a variety of delicious recipes.

DEPARTURE

There will be plenty of time to chat with fellow bakers and the River Cottage team, sharing tips and stories, before heading back up the hill at 5pm with your freshly baked goods and sourdough starter in hand.

Course highlights

  • Hands-on sourdough baking with expert Andy Tyrell learning essential skills and techniques
  • Craft your own sourdough starter and discover the simple steps to create and maintain it at home
  • Bake a range of delicious breads from holey country loaves to seedy ryes, pizza dough, and rustic fougasse
  • Learn essential techniques including kneading, handling high-hydration doughs, and perfecting bread shapes
  • Dive into the science of baking with baker’s percentages to get the perfect dough every time
  • Harness wild yeasts to create flavourful, digestible, and aromatic loaves
  • Enjoy a freshly baked lunch featuring your own sourdough pizza
Artisanal SkillsBaking CoursesRiver Cottage Courses
Can’t find the right date? Click here to receive an alert
when new dates are released for this event.
10:00 - 17:00
|
from £195.00
A person holding a freshly baked sourdough loaf with a golden crust.
Someone kneading Sourdough on a flour surface.
A white farmhouse named River Cottage with a lush garden in front.
A River Cottage Sourdough starter.
A person holding a freshly baked sourdough loaf with a golden crust.
Someone kneading Sourdough on a flour surface.
A white farmhouse named River Cottage with a lush garden in front.
A River Cottage Sourdough starter.

Proudly Accredited & Award-Winning

Proud to hold the ICSA Centre of Excellence award, we uphold the highest standards in culinary education.

Sourdough and Bread Baking at River Cottage with Andy Tyrell

Spend the day mastering the art of sourdough and bread baking at River Cottage, guided by expert chef and baker Andy Tyrell.

Your day begins by learning the foundations of traditional sourdough, using wild yeasts and natural fermentation to create bread that is full of flavour, texture and easier to digest. From there, you will explore a variety of breads, from open crumb country loaves to seeded rye, pizza dough and even a beautifully shaped fougasse.

With hands-on guidance you will cover essential techniques including choosing the right flour, creating and maintaining a sourdough starter, kneading and shaping, working with high hydration doughs and achieving the best results from your oven. Each step is designed to give you practical skills and confidence to bake exceptional bread at home.

This hands-on sourdough and bread baking course at River Cottage will leave you inspired and equipped to create a wide range of delicious breads, full of character and flavour, ready to enjoy with family and friends.

Is this course suitable for me? This course isn’t suitable for those with dairy or gluten intolerances. We recommend this course for participants aged 12 and up. Under-16s must be accompanied by a paying adult. These guidelines are in place to ensure the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of all our guests. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or need more information.

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME

If you choose to walk, enjoy a 10–15 minute stroll from the car park along scenic pathways to the farm, taking in the stunning valley views. A Land Rover lift is available in poor weather or if you prefer not to walk. Once at the cookery school, meet your host and start the day with tea, coffee, and freshly baked treats.

FLOUR

To kick things off, you’ll learn about the different types of flour, why we use organic ingredients, and how they impact the flavour, structure, and volume of your sourdough.

STARTER

We’ll guide you through starting your own sourdough culture and share simple methods to keep your starter happy and active for years to come.

PERCENTAGES & CALCULATIONS

Crucial in a bakery and helpful at home, we’ll teach you how to use these calculations to adapt recipes in your own kitchen.

MIXING, KNEADING, SHAPING

We’ll get our hands dirty, exploring modern folding techniques and traditional kneading methods that help develop your dough the right way. Throughout the day, you’ll have the opportunity to make a variety of loaves, including a River Cottage country loaf, hybrid baguettes, seedy rye, wood-fired pizza, and a fougasse. With guidance from our tutors, you’ll have plenty of practice perfecting your shaping skills.

LUNCH

Enjoy a delicious wood-fired sourdough pizza for lunch, topped with fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients.

FERMENTATION

We’ll explore the fascinating science behind sourdough and discover what makes this bread so unique.

PROVING & BAKING

It can be tricky to know when your loaf is ready for the oven, but we’ll teach you how to judge it perfectly. We’ll also explore different methods of baking in domestic ovens to achieve top-class results.

WASTE

We’ll show you how to easily use up any ‘excess’ starter in a variety of delicious recipes.

DEPARTURE

There will be plenty of time to chat with fellow bakers and the River Cottage team, sharing tips and stories, before heading back up the hill at 5pm with your freshly baked goods and sourdough starter in hand.

Course highlights

  • Hands-on sourdough baking with expert Andy Tyrell learning essential skills and techniques
  • Craft your own sourdough starter and discover the simple steps to create and maintain it at home
  • Bake a range of delicious breads from holey country loaves to seedy ryes, pizza dough, and rustic fougasse
  • Learn essential techniques including kneading, handling high-hydration doughs, and perfecting bread shapes
  • Dive into the science of baking with baker’s percentages to get the perfect dough every time
  • Harness wild yeasts to create flavourful, digestible, and aromatic loaves
  • Enjoy a freshly baked lunch featuring your own sourdough pizza
Artisanal SkillsBaking CoursesRiver Cottage Courses
Can’t find the right date? Click here to receive an alert
when new dates are released for this event.

Reviews (12)

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5 / 5 (12 ratings)
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  1. Zoe
    –

    Well organised, relaxed, great environment to learn – I enjoyed the course and it was inspiring too!

  2. Pauline
    –

    It was exactly as advertised. It was well-taught with plenty of hand-on experience and the whole experience was wonderful. I learnt so much and feel so much more confident about sourdough baking.

  3. Janet
    –

    Absolutely WONDERFUL course! Learnt so much . Andy was brilliant, extremely patient and taught the course with humour and skill!!! Will definitely recommend him and the course.

  4. Ruth
    –

    “The sourdough course is amazing. I have struggled for years when my attempts at breadmaking have been frustratingly poor and I now know why – the course gave me both a framework and a series of tips and techniques which have transformed by loaves! It was also great fun!”

  5. Jane
    –

    “Andy was brilliant. The day was so informative and I have come home with so much confidence in making a sourdough loaf. I would definitely recommend this day to anyone with an interest in sourdough.”

  6. Deborah
    –

    This was an amazing opportunity to learn all about making sourdough bread, I was bewildered before, but all my questions were answered and all put all I learnt into practical use straight away. I have already made sourdough pancake and a country loaf since the course, I feel so inspired.

  7. Lynne
    –

    “Andy was so informative. The day was full on yet very enjoyable. I came away wanting to make sourdough – although I did have armfuls of different breads to take home and devour before I could get started. “

  8. Diana
    –

    “Our chef teacher was enthusiastic, friendly and very helpful and informed. I love cooking and I really enjoyed myself. However long you’ve been cooking you can always learn new things and the dishes we made were all delicious.”

  9. Jane
    –

    Andy was brilliant. The day was so informative and I have come home with so much confidence in making a sourdough loaf. I would definitely recommend this day to anyone with an interest in sourdough.

  10. George
    –

    Brilliant chef for the day, it was amazing thankyou, and really appreciate the hard work and effort that must go on behind the scenes everyday to organise all you do, as well as to do the day itself thankyou.

  11. Lynne
    –

    Andy was so informative. The day was full on yet very enjoyable. I came away wanting to make sourdough – although I did have armfuls of different breads to take home and devour before I could get started. A really good intro (for me) into sourdough baking and its complexities. Would definitely recommend as a beginner or even if you just need more knowledge on your own sourdough journey.

  12. Jeanette
    –

    Great food and all fresh and local, fabulous staff, we picked up plenty of tips