Leaven

25g mature sourdough starter (fed 6-12 hours previously)

35g wholemeal flour

15g dark rye flour

75g blood temperature water

Dough

350g strong white flour

150g plain flour

1.5g yeast

350g milk (can be full fat or semi skimmed) (fridge temperature)

150g aforementioned leaven

Method

- To make the leaven mix the mature sourdough starter with the flours, then add water. Set this aside from anywhere from 6-10 hours, or until a teaspoon of it floats in water.

- When your leaven passes the float test, in a seperate bowl add the flours then salt and yeast at opposite ends of the bowl. Add the leaven and the milk to the bowl and mix. Some would say to bring the milk up to room temperature - I don't because I like to slow down the bulk fermentation in order to develop more flavour

- Let the dough rest for around 15 minutes then hand knead for 10-12 minutes, or until the dough has passed or is near to passing the windowpane test. Milk does not facilitate an extensible dough as water does so your dough does not need to fullly pass the windowpane test for this dough to be successful

- Let the dough bulk ferment for 5 hours and tip the risen out onto an unfloured work surface. Do not degas the dough!

- Using your bench knife divide the dough into 110g pieces, you should get 8-9 pieces.

- Roll each piece into a small tight sphere by cusping your hand over the dough and rotating it in a circular motion

- Place the shaped dough on oven tray, cover and let them proof for another 2.5-3 hours

- To bake, preheat your oven to 240 degrees and place a roasting tray in the bottom of your oven.

- Place the risen dough inside the oven then throw a mug of cold water into the roasting tray and let the rolls steam at 240 for 8 minutes.

- Remove the roasting tray and lower the oven down to 200 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.

Note: in the image below you'll see I've lashed my roll - this is not traditional - I just did it to be fancy and failed!