Sourdough

[Carmen]

Can anyone PLEASE help me??? (Can you hear the desparation in my voice?)

I really need to find a bread recipe for my wheat allergic daughter. I'd like to do a sourdough. I used the recipe in Nourishing Traditions and made the starter and then used the starter to make the bread. I used spelt. The loaves were hard as bricks!!!! I don't know if the recipe is just not so great or if I just messed it up somehow. Has anyone tried the sourdough recipe in NT who can tell me how it's supposed to turn out?

Or any sourdough tips and tricks you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[strivingforpr31]

I just came here to ask the same question, so I'm no help.

I was wondering though, would making a dough with a fermented dairy product like kefir or yogurt and letting it set over night to bubble before adding the yeast and remaining flour, be as good as sourdough from a health standpoint? This seems like it would be a lot easier.

[Dandelion]

I've made some sourdough, but am still learning myself. it has mostly ended up harder then normal bread, unfortunately. I'd like to improve that. I've just gotten NT from the library so will go look and try it out -see how that recipe goes. sorry I'm no help.
I did find that it was much better when I had fresh starter. I mean, add more flour the night before using it. Rather than using it a day or two after it's last addition. Milk is the other thing I was planning on adding to see if it will soften some. (I've always found fresh raw goat's milk always makes things so much softer than that other powdered milk, too)