instruction stringlengths 2 23k | output stringlengths 3 23.1k ⌀ |
|---|---|
Rye Sourdough Recipes with added Commercial Yeast
I recently posted in my blog a general formula to make German style breads with a rye-wheat flour mix.The formula has been derived from the blog of a German baker, and it contains a bit of yeast in the final dough.This fact caused some surprise.I further researched this... | I think it's important to note two author's audience
These books were written to underline the importance of sourdough to an audience of avid commercial yeast users stressing the need to use some pre-fermented or sourdough additions to enhance flavor not normally found using commercial yeast. (I have not read Dr DiMu... |
Sourdough never passes windowpane test
I'm having my second go at sourdough, having given up in disgust about a year ago. It's going much better this time around! My starter is nice and active, my dough rises well... but this time, like my first attempt, the dough refuses to firm up. I can knead and knead, and it never... | Just a tool
If the dough is smooth and elastic and you can shape a loaf, go for it. The windowpane test is just a tool.Ford |
deciphering Instructions for starter
I have a small bit of starter from someone I met recently.The instructions that came with it don't make much sense to me and I have no way to contact.Can anyone decipher? 100%, 1/2 WW, 1/2 white x.022=weight70% water10% sourdough12 hrs.total weight 180 IE: .400/180=.022 Take total ... | my guess
I'm assuming this formula is for feeding? Let's go through it line-by-line. 100% 1/2 WW, 1/2 white x.022=weightThis is where you start. For example: 200g whole wheat + 200g white, total of 400g, representing 100% of flour weight.70% waterThis means you incorporate 70% of your flour weight in water into your s... |
Dough gets thin and runny, bread won't rise
I've been reading this site for over a year, since I started baking bread, but I am a novice and most of the time feel like I’m reading Greek. I don’t understand most of what people are talking about here, but I hope someone understands what I’m saying and can help me. Plea... | Might be a Proofing Issue
I can't find enough data to know the exact ratio of water:flour in your formula (level of hydration) but I suspect you may be over-proofing in your initial phase (and perhaps even your second phase) because you're relying on the clock instead of the condition of the dough. Try proofing only u... |
rye sourdough help, newbie here
I'm using this recipehttps://carusel.tours/rye_breadAnd I finished the 6 days, and I know there's hooch at the top but the instructions don't say what to do about that. I know it's from under feeding but again I don't really know what I'm doing.Anyway I fed it again before making the sou... | First of all
lets find out where your starter is along the beginning timeline. Six days is still not a lot of time. (4th ingredient ---> patience). Important is the temperature of the room and starter. And do you happen to have a picture of the starter before you feed it? Has it increased in volume, changed color, ... |
why does my bread split when it rises?
Hello,The crust seems to be rising away from the rest of the loaf when I bake at the moment.I have tried using steam, not using steam, baking in a pot, making the dough wetter, drier.It seems to be happening a lot now. Not sure what I'm doing to make it happen.Also, as you can see... | Sourdough doesn't like to be "punched"
Hi Ben,I don't know where you are located (?) but if your seasonal temperatures are warming up, you may have to shorten your rise times to please the starter. (Something similar happens in the fall but then it's a temp. drop and longer times are required) It could be that the fe... |
Its alive!!..i think - Yikes, now what do i do?
Hi TFL Followers,After a rocky start i think my starter is off and running! Its taken about 10 days but since taking your great advice, special thanks to Keith, i think things are looking up. I did initially start by following a'what should be happening by what day ' app... | I think you can start using
I think you can start using it at two weeks of age. Obviously, that will depend on how your starter is looking, smelling, and acting. I found it helpful to only use filtered water when feeding, and only use clean utensils. It helps with avoiding bacterial contamination of the starter so that... |
Whole Wheat Starter Question
I have some ww starter, that I haven't fed in almost a year. It was in the fridge and was looking kind of... Well, ugly. The liquid was on top and was all dark and the body didn't look that hot either. Finally, I decided to see if I can revive it. So I opened the lid and was very surprised... | Listen when mother speaks!
That is some persistent mother of a starter. Sure-use it! It certainly tucked itself in nicely and aged like a fine wine. I would treat that starter well from now on.Enjoy! |
I think my starter died
Finally got my starter going. Baked three loaves that turned out pretty good for a first time effort. Had about 1 cup starter left. Added 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup flour. After about 24 hours it looks like it is dead. No bubbles, no foam. Dead. I left out on the sink covered with cling wr... | I'd try adding more water and
I'd try adding more water and flour. If you go with a recipe such as Peter Reinhart's Mother Starter refresher (p. 42 of Artisan Breads Every Day) ... he calls for 2 3/4 cups of flour and 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of water per 3/4 cup of starter. Since you have 1 cup you could up the flour a... |
Shall I ditch it and start again?
Hi,Not sure if i should ditch my starter and try again. I'm at the fourth day and it hasnt really doubled in size, there is some activity but not much and its not smelling very nice. The smell has been fine until now. I used 50% organic white and 50% wholemeal, could this be where i... | Keep going
As long as it is not a cheesy,dirty sock smell-keep going. It may go through some variations of fruity,nailpolish,paint thinner smell but will eventually get to a more yeasty,winey,mead-like smell. Soon the lacto beasties will get going and you will have a sudden explosion of activity but keep going even th... |
Help... left starter for 2 days, now not rising?
Hi,I've recently taken my once-healthy starter out of the fridge (neglected for 2 mths... oops) and for a week I fed it twice daily with 1:2:2 or more (1:4:4 a few times) and it was fine, doubling healthily in under 12 hours (temp was around 75-77F).But then I had the fl... | Starter Help
I'm sure with a little TLC it will come back. What has happened is that your starter has become too acidic. That can be fixed. You said you scooped some out and fed it--how much did you scoop out and how much did you feed? There is more than one way of fixing the problem, but this is what I would do. ... |
Hydration adjustment in recipe
I recently started a 60% hydration starter due to some problems I have been having with my 100%. It looks like it's coming along great but I had a question regarding recipe adjustments, and I couldn't get a definitive answer using the search. I did find a spreadsheet however, but it's a b... | Yes
it is that simple, Ryan.Work out the total hydration amount rquired for the full dough. Look at the amount of water in your leaven. Take this away from the amount you need in total, and that is what is needed for your final dough.I work all my recipes out like this; my preferred method over a spreadsheet.Best w... |
1st SD success
After trying to bake with a sourdough starter for 2 months and making door-stoppers this is my first edible attempt of Susan's simple sourdough boule. It was made with AP flour and no WWW flour(not available in India). I think I should have used a little less water because the dough seemed to spread hor... | Your suggestion of using a simple recipe headed me in the right direction. |
Sourdough Starter goes 'Boozy?'
I started a new starter about seven days ago, using an 'offhand' method that's always worked reliably for me in the past to produce a starter with the classic yeasty/sour/yummy smell, stable and robust, with good rising characteristics. Now the same method has produced a starter that see... | It's just unstable and
It's just unstable and immature at this point, nothing to worry about.After the starter peaks and collapses, it starts to turn acidic. At this point, there will be a tremendous amount of alcohol as a by-product, and that's normal. As it continues to collapse, it with produce other by-products. I ... |
How can I tell if there is an enzyme problem?
Per the recommendation of clazar123, I'm posting to see if perhaps my starter has gone bad, and what I can do to bring it back.Lately with the warmer weather I have been experiencing some tearing in my final proofing. I adjusted times and ingrediants to try and keep this fr... | Alter the hydration
Hi Ryan,Yes, move the starter to the cooler area.Other tips: Reduce the hydration to c60% and make your levain with cooler water.Allow less development time for your leavenReduce the amount of leaven in your final dough.There's 3 possibilities for you to try.Best wishesAndy |
Bakers. Lend me your ears...
Hello, I am baking bread with strong white flour and a dough that is 75% hydration.I mix in a mixer slowly for 15 minutes until I have a nice silky dough that stretches and behaves.I bulk ferment for three hours with three or four stretches in between.I pre shape, building tension successfu... | what baking mode?
Please describe the baking mode that you are using.Is this the combi oven you were using before?Fan on or fan off? What heating elements are you using ? Bottom, top, back side?--The surface of the crust reminds me of a gas oven, or using top heat in a convection oven.--Pronounced oven spring with ear... |
Starter Ripening - sharing lessons learned
I now believe that starters do behave in different ways when the flour fed to them is changed. I have been experiencing failures with liquid-levain-based recipes, and in the midst of all the frustration , i wondered at the reason behind such failures, particularly with Whole W... | Good stuff here Khalid
Hi Khalid,Thanks for posting your tried and tested observations.I was interested in your comments about the relative fermetation rates of liquid levains vs. stiff ones, and the more rapidly breaking down soft flour contrasted with the more tolerant strong flour. I agree with all your observati... |
Gauging Growth Stage
I've been reading and thinking about sourdough growth. Most instructions refer either to time or to the activity of the start. It is asserted in at least a few places that different starts may be "faster" than others though I have a hard time believing tha if one is to believe that the dominant spe... | Gauging Growth Stage
There are many different organisms in various sourdough starters. L. sf and C. milleri is just one of the combinations of yeast and bacteria, but there are many others that have been identified in different cultures.
I agree that the point at which a starter stops rising is not necessarily the same... |
Whole wheat in starter causing tearing.
Lately I have been experiencing some tearing issues with my sourdough. I've tried adjusting things from what I have read, like adding more water, different proofing times, among other things, but it's still tearing during the final proof. The bread tastes fine, but come out looki... | I say
Ryan,Don't think the starter is the problem. Dough drying during proof? Humidity of proof?Jim |
First sourdough experience: Norwich Sourdough
Just wanted to share my first bread making experience and thank this site for the wealth of information, especially the detailed walkthrough on harvesting wild yeast with whole grain wheat and pineapple juice. All in all this came out pretty good. The crumb was a tad den... | Your bread looks fantastic,
please resize your pictures to 640x480. Thanks :) |
Altamura Tantrum Loaf
Pane del capriccio; from Daniel Leader's "Local Breads" Made with Durum Flour. Using the Sterile Sourdough X Starter.
It is possible to sterilize flour and water to create a useable starter and bake a loaf. Tasty with a mild sour taste.
Jim | missed this the first time
but it's pretty cryptic. Why tantrum? What do you mean by sterilize? And what is that wicked cool shape? More details please. |
Refrigeration Proofing
I have been working with a sourdough recipe which calls for mixing the starter with flour and water, allowing to proof for four hours, then tossing in the fridge overnight. Now I am thr type of person who likes to know why I'm told to do certain things, follow steps. It doesn't say exactly why I ... | Refrigeration Proofing
Not a typo - just different tastes. That's why the first time you make a new recipe it's kind of experimental; then you start adjusting to your likes and dislikes. You have to decide what's correct for your taste, which is why taste tests are kind of silly. We all have different tastes.As for r... |
bread not sour enough!
Help! my starter is great but my bread is not sour enough! here's my formul | Feeding every 12 hours 1:1:1 (retained starter, flour, water) with 50% reduced bran flour, 25% whole wheat flour and (recent change to get more sour flavor) 25% rye flour and I keep it on the counter at about 65-70 degrees right now. Doubles like a champ every 8-12 hours.I am using Dan Lepard's pain au levain recipe...... |
A big thank you SanFran sourdough miche
Not too long ago, my SanFran sourdough starter died (of unknown causes) and one of TFL's Bay Area stalwarts, who shall remain nameless (you know who you are!) was kind enough to send me a beautiful blob of starter, which was extraordinarily robust and flavorful.Herewith, my first... | Very Good Looking!
That's a good looking loaf, Stan. Thank you for including your recipe. |
Do you have to store starter in the fridge?
Have been away for awhile and haven't baked in in awhile. What brought me to this wonderful site was trying to get a starter going. I did indeed accomplish that and made some wonderful first ever loaves. I have been keeping up with my starter feedings not real regularly howev... | Advantage
Storing starter in the fridge is advantageous for the home baker who doesn't bake every day. Yikes; you're storing 100 oz of starter, believe me you don't need that much.Jim |
How does the flavor of a sourdough rye change after resting?
I've heard quite often that sourdough rye breads benefit from waiting at least 24 hours before eating. What exactly tends to happen in that time, flavorwise, and what chemically is going on? | It does
I've found it to happen with any SD I bake. And yes your right it's chemical/bacterial. Many theories abound, yet I don't think there's a definite/singular one because there's a lot going on in bread, and a lot to be discovered. For now just sit back and enjoy it.Jim |
Help with a starter
Greetings. I have a question on some starter I recently made. But first off, I’ve been baking sour dough bread for about three quarters of a year (and probably 140 loaves or so) using Ken Forkish’s book as a starting point. The bread is great. I always bake two and give one away.About three weeks ba... | Sounds, and smells, like a
Sounds, and smells, like a feed issue.C this https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/68370/making-starter-when-do-next-stepsEnjoy |
Too fluffy and soft crust - solutions?
I made a version of Susan's Norwich Sourdoughhttp://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/07/08/my-new-favorite-sourdough/with a variation of a higher percentage of starter:400g white (very strong) rather than 450g60g light rye250g warm water rather than 300g280g starter (mix white & rye) ra... | One Thing
Looking at the Wild Yeast Blog formula, "With a thin, crisp crust and soft but substantial crumb" I believe you've gotten the soft/ light part called for. Perhaps a different formula might be more to your liking rather than reformulating this one.Jim |
Altamura Volcano Loaf
100% Durum loaf with balck and white sasame seeds and Sterile Sourdough X.Jim | great!
But maybe a bit over-tanned? |
Old starter dark....
I left my starter in the fridge without any feedings at all "DUH" for over a year and a half.It has an inch or more hooch that is very dark. I think it smells sour/vinegary and my husband says it smells like old beer.Should I dump it out and start over, drain off the hooch and feed, or just stir an... | You never know
If it doesn't have mold on it or smell awful, I would pour off the hootch,carefully scrape the surface and try to get a spoonful from the bottom. If there are any yeasty-beasties, that is where they would have hunkered down. Mix the spoonful with a few tablespoons of flour and water and let it sit. If yo... |
Retarding Sourdough
I'm looking to find a way to be able to bake sourdough loaves around 9 or 10 in the morning without having to stay up all night working. I was wondering if anyone has any tips. Would it be better to retard the dough during bulk fermentation, or the final proof? The dough would be something along the... | Many variables
Hope you have a banneton or similar. Proof half to three quaters of the way; fridge overnite in banneton, or bread may flatten, pull out next morn and bake after 1 to 2 hours. From these results you'll most likely have to experiment with time in and out of fridge.Jim |
First sourdough loaf rather bitter, any idea why?
I decided to give my starter, which is maybe only a week and a half old, a go at baking something since it smells good and has a lot of rise. I tried this recipe: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2008/11/05/more-sour-sourdough/ Only 1 loaf, just in case.The loaf rose good, ... | Well
The name is more sour sourdough so that's what you made. 23g salt?Jim |
Replensihing hops starter
Hello I'm "cooking" a hops starter that I found in Bernard Clayton's Book of breads. It'sa neat recipe and involves using mashed potatoes and cornmeal. There is no yeastin this recipe. I'm wondering if it can be replenished and with what-----I just learned that Mr. Clayton passed away and late... | My guess would be to make weak tea from the hops
strain and use the infusion as water and feed the wild yeast within anything they will eat to maintain their character. |
Sourdough Consistency
Having conquered my previous problem, with the help of this forum, I bring to you all my next question. Basically it's about the consistency of the sourdough dough itself. From what the book says(The Bread Baker's Apprentice) the dough should be firm but tacky. Mine is always very firm, but not at... | Tacky
During your hand kneading keep a spray bottle handy to adjust for the tack. As to dense and heavy; it has more to do with the rising/proofing and shaping/handling.Jim |
William Alexander's Hazy Apple Sourdough Starter
I'm not quite sure why, but I decided to try William Alexander's Hazy Apple Sourdough starter to get a new levain going. This is leading to some questions:1) Am I wasting my time and effort since there are already yeasts present in the flour and I could get a levain go... | Some thoughts
Deborah Wink's method is very good, the use of other approaches may offer you alternatives, especially in addition flavor and timing alternatives worth your time to understand. Ultimately, there are decisions that you are best to judge. You may find it worth 10 of 15 minutes reading and thinking about the... |
PR, Artisan Breads every day - hydration
On page 37, 4th paragraph, PR says that a current starter can be used in making his Mother Starter (page 42). I started with 100% hyrdration of a KA starter. My new mother has doubled according to paragraph three on page 42, I was to knead the risen starter for a few seconds an... | If you used 340g white flour
If you used 340g white flour and 227g water as instructed, you would have 66.7% hydration without your 100% starter (this might be a little sticky, but it should come together). Add 113g of 100% hydration starter means 57g flour & water each, so total hyrdation is 71%, which is pretty wet a... |
1st starter attempt: Toss or not?
Having a go at it now that the winter's over. It's not exactly warm yet, but it's not cold either, so I was hoping it would be alright. Maybe it isn't. It's up on the fridge where it's a bit warmer, but who knows.After reading several guides I decided to do a 100% hydration starter, .5... | Give it time
It's doin' somethin' right? It can take a week or two to double. Stir it up: often. Some of the buggies need air.Jim |
Overnight Country Blonde - Undercooked crumb
Hello, everyone! First-time baker here so, please, pardon my ignorance. :)I wanted a good challenge and went straight for Ken's Forkish Overnight Country Blonde, which, as it turned out, was not a great option for a complete novice. I followed the recipe precisely with the o... | Photo of the crumb
IMG_6273.jpg |
SMall oven baking problems
Let me first begin by saying I am very much a beginner when it comes to baking bread at home, so please excuse my naivete with certain aspects.I made my first attempt at sourdough this week using the recipe from Peter Reinhart's book, The Bread Bakers Apprentice. I followed the instructions t... | Clay Baker
A clay baking vessel could solve the problem; no steam needed.Jim |
Need some clarification on amount of Starter
I have been baking bread and cinnamon rolls using a potato flake starter, This starter has been alive fore three generations, almost 100 years. It made me want to delve into the world of a flour based starter. I am mostly a lurker on the board, I do alot more reading than ... | welcome!
Hi Paul,Welcome to the world of starters! Sounds like yours is doing well. I do suggest you get a nice digital scale, it makes a big difference for baking accuracy. For example, your 1/2c flour + 1/4c water is closer to 100% hydration; 1:1 flour-water by volume is usually around 180%+ hydration. I only keep a ... |
Gluten Free SD starter
Hello to the community of the Gluten free bread,
I have been asked by a friend to make a bread gluten free and free yeasted ! I read everything I could about the subject understanding that with no yeast I need at least to begin with a sourdough. I tried to follow the intruction of Nicob or d ( ma... | A gluten free sourdough starter will not rise
in the jar like it's non-glutinous counterpart but it will loosen up indicating yeast is active. A see thu container is a must. Then you can observe the bubbles forming between the starter and the container.
It's already one week and still just a little very little few m... |
How much do you keep?
I threw my starter out last month because I hadn't been using it and had neglected to feed it for a few weeks...big mistake. I could have saved it, it looked and smelled fine when I dumped it.
I put together a new starter last night and am curious to see how much starter everyone keeps around. W... | Not much
When I put away my starter I store it at 65% hydration and I usually keep about 1/3-1/2 cup. I store it in a small plastic container with a lid and just keep it in the back of the refrigerator.
- Greg |
Increase time to peak for very active starter
As I posted in my first thread my starter is peaking in 3-4 hours. I'm very happy that it is strong and all but the problem I am going to run into is that a couple nights a week I will be making bread between the time I get home from work and the time I go to bed 4-5 hours.... | Feed it enough to keep it busy while you are gone
If you are going to be gone for 10 hrs, multiply the starter by 10:1 (remember that it is an exponential growth process, not linear, so that is about 3.5 doublings at 3 hr each) and let it ferment at low room temperature (65-69°F). It should be ready when you get home. ... |
First starter - process I went through and some questions
I have been poking around on the site for the last few weeks and finally registered this morning. I decided I wanted to get a starter going and below is the process I used and my observations. I then will have a couple questions at the end.
day 1. I mixed 1 cu... | some thoughts
Hi dwilson
If it triples in 3 hours and then holds there for a few hours before starting to deflate does that mean I should be baking with it 3-4 hours after feeding?
Your starter is ready to use once it just starts to deflate/collapse on itself, so yes, probably start mixing dough about 4 hours after f... |
Hamelman's levain build doubt
Hi,
i got Hamelman's book recently and love it; i baked my best breads recently with it, all with commercial yeast.
Now i'm on day 3 of preparing my liquid sourdough starter (what a rich smell already!).
I've searched a lot on this site and on the net, and of course i've read several times... | How much bread do you want to make?
Hi Daniele,
How much mature culture do you have, and how much do you need?
The formula calls for 3.68 kg levain to make 16.69 kg of bread!
To build the levain you need 300g of mature culture, and that will work in one go (point 1 on page 154).
The example on p.146 is how to make 8kg ... |
Is random failure to rise explainable?
I've been using lately a starter that I started about 5-6 weeks ago. Local wild yeast. It has performed fine. I've learned to make it less sour, how to feed and make it happy etc. So, I made a pretty typical multigrain large loaf (about 2.5 lbs) with a 1/2 cup of the starter li... | Been There
Happened a few weeks ago, thought it might have had something to do with atmospheric pressure; had a bad storm.
Jim |
Any Sourdough breakfast recipes that DON'T require overnight prep??
Hi al, I have seen breakfast recipes that require you to make an overnight prep., or 8 hr prep etc.. anything you can make with the starter you take out in the morning for your starters morning feed? I would love a recipe that I can use straight away,... | Waffles
I make waffles sometimes. Just add milk, egg, salt, butter (or oil) vanilla and sugar to 1 cup flour. The amounts depend on your preferences, but mine are:
1 cup starter, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, 2-3 TBS melted butter, pinch of salt, 1/3 cup sugar (or maple syrup), 1 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon if I... |
True sourdough dinner rolls cloverleaf, etc.
Greetings: Thus far I'm accustomed to making my sourdough traditionally with only starter, flour, salt and water. I love everything about it. I would like to incorporate sourdough into a dinner roll and wanted to get some advice. If I were to take the sourdough recipe I've b... | Artisinal bread, such as your
Artisinal bread, such as your sourdough boule recipe, will be more lean and rustic. That's fine for eating bread or rustic sandwhiches, but I love *enriched* dinner rolls.
I would exchange much of the water for milk (some of the liquid will be in the form of butter), add in some sugar, a... |
Scaling down levains, "mass effect"
I've always hated throwing out mountains of starter every day (like all of us), and have scaled at least somewhat back from time time, though doing a starter & following a formula.I recall Hamelman talks about doing the full amount and not scaling down (don't recall he mentioned why)... | First, a thought, maybe if ya
First, a thought, maybe if ya don't make so much you won't have to throw any out. I never had a problem with "mass effect" - which i think is a joke towards those who follow the norm and end up with a large mass of starter and nothing to do with it, and if it isn't it would be a good one! ... |
Sterile Sourdough X
This is a follow up to the "Sourdough Water" post.
This experiment is to determine if wild things can be captured by sterile flour and water. One week ago the water and flour were sterilized, covered with cheese cloth and allowed to sit (attempting to capture wild yeast and bacteria). Durum flour an... | This is interesting
I guarantee you'll get spores of something falling into your mix, whether it be yeast, bacteria or mold. |
I fed rye to a very inactive white starter and it literally skyrocketed overnight.
I fed rye to a very inactive white starter and it literally skyrocketed overnight. It is about 3 weeks old, i've been keeping at room temp and feeding twice a day. I've had bubbles the whole time, but NO rise and fall. On a whim I feed i... | I had the exact same
I had the exact same experience, but with a little whole wheat flour rather than rye, and it took my 'stagnant' starter into over-drive overnight. Thanks to ehanner for that advice. He said that plain AP flour is good enough for nutrients most of the time, but that it's good to give it a shot of ... |
Does your starter perform better when...
You feed it a certain kind of four? I am not a purist and don't feel like I need a white and wheat and rye and spelt and insert-other-flours-here starter for each type of sourdough I want to make. No harm in feeding my white starter a little WW once in awhile.
I've been wonder... | i haven't noticed a big difference
Among white flours, i haven't noticed a big difference when maintaining a white starter.
I can't compare that to mixed starters (like WW + AP, or rye + AP), because I think they behave slightly different. |
ok! Extremely Confused and frustrated!
Hi all, I have SEVERAL questions, and just find myself becoming more and more confused and frustrated the more I try to dig and research these topics out. I am hoping someone can help me. Here are my questions:
1. I do NOT like SOUR tasting bread. However, I like the idea of h... | Have you tried baking with
Have you tried baking with these starters? Do they definitely turn out sour? By no means is bread produced by a sourdough starter always sour. Certainly I never achieved very impressive sourness with mine (also ordered off the internet)- and a lot of the sourdough bread I have bought as well ... |
Experiment - Effect of retarding 0 days, 1, 2 and 3. [Picture included]
I am trying to create a white sourdough with a light, crispy crust and a fluffy crumb. I attended SFBI last week for their Artisan Breads II - Mastering Sourdough class, and learned the effects of refrigerating dough at different stages of the pr... | Great experiment! I see the
Great experiment! I see the volume decreases and the holes get larger the longer the loaf is retarded. Actually, I am quite suprised your 2 and 3 day retarded loaves held up so well. I would have expected them to be flatter and with even more of those big holes.
I have to say I am most i... |
Please help! First time starter user!
Hello all!
A very kind person from this very site sent me a little bitty of his own sourdough starter, and I followed his directions on how to feed it, but I'm now having trouble, and not sure what I should do! If anyone can tell me if I'm doing this right, I would be EXTREMELY gr... | Relax - it's all good
Relax- you're doing fine. What you have is a 100% liquid starter because your are feeding it the same amount (by weight) flour and water. it's like thick toothpaste after you feed it. It gets thinner when it's hungry. If you want a firm starter (50%), keep feeding the same amount of the flour b... |
Starter Splitting
Hello Everybody,
I attempted a Sourdough starter 5 months ago and it started puffing up bubbles within a few days. Now, when i try it just splits (water on top) no matter how many times i whisk it splits again and looks very wrong. Could it be the change of weather as i live in Bahrain and it's gett... | Can you explain a bit more in detail?
Not sure what you mean by "when i try it". Do you mean when you try to make a new starter, as you did 5 months ago? Or do you mean that you have kept your starter from 5 months ago and are now trying to feed it and activate it?
I think you mean a new starter, in which case, maybe ... |
100% hydration starter vs mother starter
Hey,
I'm new to sourdough bread baking and I'm a little confused about one thing. I've recently made my first mother starter from Reinhart's book and successfully made a very nice 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Hearth Bread.
Now, I've found a bagel recipe on the forum where there ... | feeding, harvesting
if you were to pour off most of your starter, you could feed it at 100% and the little culture remaining would quickly convert the whole feeding to the 100% addition. |
Starter fail after nearly 3 weeks
Hi folks = ]
Quick reason I'm making a new starter: we moved and I unfortunately trusted the wife to handle my old faithful starter whilst she was doing all the kitchen items. The starter got thrown out.
Yes, I should have divorced over it, but to forgive is civilized, and after 20... | What helps
Keith,
When starting a seed this helps; Pineapple juice, organic flour, small % of wheat or rye, stirring every 3 hours of your waking day. It may be better to start over. If you're in Georgia I'll give you a shot of my starter.
Jim |
Starter - feed
Hello again!
My starters are just great! Ok, but there's a little problem.... I feed 'em twice daily... and there's a lot of waste .. .A LOT! ) aprox. 600 grams of flour, just for my feedings). If I switch the feeding routine on 24h, will I lose quality?
Thanks! (again, as always, excuse my English) | reduce the amounts
If you have a lot of waste, then you are keeping your starter too large. Reduce the size and increase it only before a bake. Drop the starter amounts down to 20g or 50g and then feed. |
Txfarmer’s 36 hours baguettes...First attempt in a looong series!
This bread is sooooo good, this is going to be my favorite weekend bake for a while...Furthermore, I’m looking forward to getting a chance to practice again at taming that super-flowy blob!!!What a dinner picnic we had courtesy of those chubby babies!!! ... | These are great start into
These are great start into the world of baguette mastery. Well done. One has to bake to get better.Cheers,Gavin |
Sourdough Starter from Scratch
I'm in San Francisco and tried making the wild yeast starter from scratch from organic flour thing, and it just wouldn't rise. So I decided to try to make sourdough starter from scratch trying to capture whatever yeast are in my SF home, using red/purple eating grapes that were starting ... | SF Starter?
I think if I was in San Fran, I'd probably just go to a bakery and get some starter... |
Has anyone used or considered wine/beer yeast as a sourdough starter?
Curious!
I used to make wine in the basement and had great success with natural sourdough starter. It has been six years since moving the wine making to a U-Brew. Now I can't get a natural starter happening.
So, has anyone used a wine or beer yeast t... | Take a look at the wonderful
Take a look at the wonderful Shiao-Ping's blog when she tried Mr. Lepard's Barm bread. This may help you out.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/12978/dan-lepard039s-barm-bread-100-sourdough |
Unsalveageable Starter?
Hi everyone.
For a while, I had a tartine starter going with no problems - I would reserve a couple tablespoons, then add 40g water, and 40g of a 50/50 whole wheat and white flour mixture. The feeding schedule was every 24 hours. It doubled reliably, always smelled pleasant, and never gave me an... | Slowly starving?
One highly regarded professional and sourdough expert here(Mike Avery) seems to have anticipated your situation.
He seems to have the opinion that, within his context(approximate room temp, hydration, etc), the starter needs to be fed at least twice per day. Feeding less than that, now matter how thing... |
Flo's 1-2-3 method
I've tried this method twice this weekend and really like it.
The first bake was with dough enriched with oil, milk and a little sugar and barley malt powder. The buns were excellent.
The second bake was lean dough making 2 batards weighing a pound each. I'm still a novice but the efforts this wee... | Yes, Flo's formula is really
Yes, Flo's formula is really great. I base a lot of my sourdoughs on it. It is easy to remember and works well with our local flours. Creates a perfect loaf every time. I know some people have had difficulty with it because their particular flour's protein level might not be high enough... |
Confused Over Gordon Ramsay Sourdough Recipe
Hi guys I'd appreciate some advice.
I'm pretty new to sourdough baking and my first few attempts at making a starter were less than successful. I came across a sourdough recipe by the
Michelin star chief, Gordon Ramsay, but it has left me somewhat confused.
His starter consi... | Instant sourdough.
That seems to be more of a "fake sourdough" bread recipe. It really is not true sourdough at all.
Sourdough = wild yeast(along with associated lactic acid bacteria).
I guess recipes like Ramsey's here attempt to grab some of the essence, the sour, with the lactic acid provided by/in the yougurt and t... |
Moving
Hello!
I've just decided to leave Romania and my biggest concern that i'll lose my starters. How can I transport'em in a safe kind of way? I'll take tha plane, so I must follow the flight rules.I have a liquid starter (100% hydration) a 75% one, and a stiff at 50%. Any ideeas for transportation? (rules : a plast... | Here are two possibilities
And your English is just fine, alexandrut03.
#1: Mix as much flour into a each of your starters as they can hold. If the then-stiff starters that you transport mass 20-50 grams each, that will be plenty. Then you can add water at your destination to restore them to their previous hydration ... |
Sourdough Water
My understanding is the flour provides wild yeast and the air in your local provides the bacteria for the sweet/sour of sourdough. While building the sour it is usally kept covered to prevent crusting. What if one were to leave the water, that they would use in the next refreshment, uncovered along side... | Hello Jim,
It is a myth that
Hello Jim,
It is a myth that the yeast and the lactobacteria come from the air and migrate to the starter. Both the yeast and the bacteria are found in the flour that is used to make the starter. They are then encouraged to grow and propagate by your maintaining the culture at the appropr... |
What other doughs/breads can I raise with my liquid levain?
I've been using my home-cultured liquid levain to raise some boules with good results.
The levain is feed with white flour only.
I followed Leader's directions in Local Breads to get it going. He mentions that this levain can be used to raise "other breads... | Good question, BusterBaker
I'll make some guesses, although that is all they are.
1. Baker's preference. A particular levain, or group of levains, may provide the leavening and flavor characteristics that the baker desires for the finished bread.
2. Like levains and breads (rye/rye, white/baguette, etc.) mean that the... |
Anyone tried cooking starter?
Hello,
I keep my starter at 125% hydration, which is basically a batter. I've been feeding it twice daily for maybe 1.5 months or so, with good results (for me).
Anyway tonight during feeding, instead of tossing out the discard, I cooked it, like a pancake. No mix with anything else.
Int... | I've done that, gvz, with
I've done that, gvz, with wholewheat starter, and it was indeed super sour. |
Hubby Doesn't Like Sourdough
I have an active thriving sourdough culture. I usually just make one loaf of sourdough bread, one loaf of rye bread, not sourdough, and one loaf of french bread. My hubby finally told me he doesn't care for sourdough. I have several recipes that I was going to try that contains sourdough... | Do you know what he doesn't like?
Do you have a particularly sour culture and is that what he doesn't like? If that were the case, you could change your feeding schedule and formula, so that the sour flavor is toned down, and perhaps he would like it more. I often hesitate to call my bread sourdough even though its... |
Dough showing signs of fermentation but sample has barely risen...what do I do???
I'm in a pickle:My dough has been bulk fermenting for 4 hours at 22°C and is showing signs of fermentation, but the sample in the aliquot jar has barely risen...(the recipe doesn't mention any specific target in terms of rising to determi... | The first couple of times I
The first couple of times I tried to use an aliquot jar I had the same problem. I don't know why this happens, but I'd say you should ferment longer. It's hard to say from a photo, but the dough doesn't look properly fermented to me yet. If you touch it, does it feel puffy?In addition, in th... |
From a 36 hrs baguette mishap to a gorgeous 25 hours batard...and a question
On a sunday morning, I set out to try the 36 hours baguette recipe from txfarmer. Eight hours later, as I was re-visiting the procedures of this recipe, I noticed that I'd made a mistake and I immediately ran to the fridge: the levain is suppo... | Looks great, Michelle. Lovely
Looks great, Michelle. Lovely grigne, crust and crumb. Certainly, a happy mistake!:)
Syd |
Fat in Sourdough
I have a sourdough recipe that I really like but it doesn't contain any fat. I would like to add enough to extend the life of the bread but not change all the characteristics too much.
What is the typical baker's % range for fats in sourdough?
What other changes will the addition of fat cause?
Will dif... | Fat in bread
I don't know that there is a typical amount of fat in the dough. I use 3% butter (based on weight of flour) for my sandwich loaves. More might be used for some sweet doughs, and certainly the typical loaf of the purist, artisan bread has none.
Fats will make the crumb softer, and the raw dough more exten... |
No Throw Starter Question and Others!
I have a little experience making sourdough, and thought I'd branch into using home milled flour. I usually make the starters at 100% (ish) measuring the flour so I know the running weight of the starter but just adding water till it looks right - a thick gloopy paste. I have some ... | my rye starter is one of those
that is, I started with tiny amounts of flour (20 gr+25 gr apple juice) and in 3 days time I obtained a starter strong enough to raise all that I needed. I put it back in the fridge and now, routinely, I don't refresh it until it's almost finished.
I keep only 100 gr of starter in my fri... |
Started Feed Flour
Hello all,
Was just wondering what type of white flour is best used for feeding a starter? AP? Bread? Does it really matter? There are some formulas out there for creating and maintaining a starter but don't specify which flour to use, besides "White flour." Was just curious to see if any of you ex... | My preference
I feed my starter with 25% rye flour and 75% AP flour. For the first few months of it's life I used only organic flour, but now I use non-organic without a problem. As far as choosing AP or Bread flour, I don't think it matters.
I have used Bread flour when that is all I had handy. |
Roasted Garlic Levain...and a piece of gum
oh boy, this bread is garlicky :)
If you have made this bread from Hamelman's Bread, how do you like it? The bread itself is great...I just don't expect that the 1.5oz of roasted garlic will make such a strong presence in the bread. Actually, I used only 1.3oz as the two bul... | Lovely shaping and scoring,
Lovely shaping and scoring, Michelle! Nice open crumb, too.
As for sandwich filling suggestions: rosemary roasted lamb, on a bed of baby spinach, crumbled feta and cherry tomatoes, sprinkled with pine nuts and dressed with a mint vinaigrette. :)
Syd |
Timing Question of When Starter Can be Used In Final Dough
Okay, I know this has been discussed here but I can't come up with the treads so I am starting a this one.
I will start by saying that I am new to using sourdoughs in my loaves.
When building a loaf I usually feed my starter for at least a day prior to using ... | It happens
Yes it will, and usually everything will work out fine, as long as you allow the rise to go on as long as it needs to.
But working with an under-ripe starter is pretty much like just using a lower percentage of starter in your dough. So be aware that it will react somewhat differently, depending on exactly h... |
Airtight starter container?
Hey All,
I'm beginning another starter after accidently leaving the old one behind when I changed apartments. Oops!!
Is there any reason that the container for the starter should or should not be airtight? Does it matter?
Thanks for your help, as always!
Evan | Like everything else, there's
Like everything else, there's going to be disagreement depending on who you ask but...
no, you shouldn't store starter in an airtight container.
The starter needs air to do its thing to populate. I keep mine in a glass jar with a lid. Between bakings, I store mine in the refrigerator wit... |
Help! I forgot to put my starter up after feed
I left my starter out overnight after feeding (10:30PM) and was planning to put it back in the fridge this morning. I forgot and now I won't be home until after 5pm today. Do I need to refeed or feed earlier next time? Any other adjustments I might need to make?
Some inf... | just feed it
just feed it and get it back on a regular feeding schedule. it will be fine :)
a good feeding schedule when baking is 2x per day: once in the morning, once in the evening. |
Would like to share my newbie sourdough (Tartine) success...
I posted this in another thread but I thought I'd share my success here since there seems to be a lot of questions about getting a new starter going. I'm new to sourdough as well but I've had great success so far with my starter. I followed Chad Robertson's ... | Welcome to the club of wild
Welcome to the club of wild yeast addicts!
I remember very well the first time I made a sourdough loaf and was thrilled with the way it turned out, so your post brought nice memories...
I hope to see more ahd more posts of your adventures in bread baking ;-) |
Carl's Sourdough Starter - My hyperactive child
I recently sent away for some of Carl's sourdough starter after reading about it here.
After having it awhile and using it I have a question that i am almost afraid to ask since most topics here relate to starters that won't start...'Carl' has been revived and I have been... | RE: Wild Child
There's nothing wrong and certainly no shame in storing your starter in the fridge. Many of us do so because we aren't baking every day and don't want to waste flour and effort in maintaining a room temp starter for two or three bakes a week. My starter has been kept in the fridge since shortly after I g... |
txfarmer's 36 hour sourdough baguettes - Rye starter version
Thank you so much txfarmer for those baguettes, they are just perfect!https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19830/36-hours-sourdough-baguette-everything-i-know-one-breadThis time I tried the version using 100% whole rye starter: absolutely delicious!!!So obviousl... | Delicious. I haven't tried
Delicious. I haven't tried baguettes with a rye starter, but you have given me the inspiration to try. Cheers. |
sour dough seed culture
I am new to this site but have been trying to make a sour dough seed culture using Peter Reinhart's pineapple method. I have read other questions posted here but they do not seem to be the same as my problem. I am on day 5 and my starter has not done anything since the begining. I used pineappl... | Welcome, Debbie
In truth, it is Debra Wink who created the pineapple juice method, not Peter Reinhart. Mr. Reinhart published it and I believe credits DW in one of those publications.
Your questions may have already been answered in Debra's Pineapple Juice Solution post which can be found here
As to how to create a w... |
Sourdough Boule
Alright guys, I'm going to write the entire process of what I just did for my sourdough...its my second attempt and I would really appreciate some criticism.
I started the dough with warm (soft) starter, dry flour, salt and water. I kneeded it for about 5 minutes. Let it relax for 5 and then finished ... | Long Live Yeasties
My first impression is that you over-proofed it. The dough needs to rise, evidenced by an increase in overall size, but it doesn't need to actually "double" - just something close to double.
From your posted formula you are not using a leavening agent, beyond the starter. I find that the yeasties... |
Single sourdough Loaf
This a single Loaf of Sour Dough Bread . The recipe was for 2 loaves in a pan. My luck has not been to good with making a loaf this style. I think I have it down pretty good. The only difference in the recipe I used the full 1/4 cup of active starter for one loaf instead of two. It might hav... | Nice crumb
but is it a bit underbaked? The crust looks very pale.
Karin |
Pineapple Method makes tangy starts?
A little bit ago I boosted my start using the pinapple method posted on this site. It worked wonders for getting my loaves back on track with rising, but now a few weeks later, my start and the new one I created using that method are exceptionally tangy. the flavor comes out nicel... | We've been here before, great thread...
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/11616/waaaay-sour-help |
S.D. Bread
Here is the recie from a well known Pro.Baker.
1/4 cup starter
1 cup whole wheat flour
5 1/2 cups white bread flour
2 1/2 cups of water
2 tsp salt.
Ingredients were measure with a scale. Every thig was done per the recipe except I used a KA Pro for kneading.
The dough never did start to come together or lea... | 68%
68% hydration is the figure I come to, based on converting your volume measurements to weight measurements.
What figures did you use for the weight of a cup of flour and a cup of water?
Starter hydration at what percentage?
The amount of starter also looks to me to be a quite a bit low. That 1/4 cup would be about ... |
Chicken Broth for Liquid (Salt Free)
Will the use of a broth as a substitute for water have any affect on the outcome of say Vermont sourdough ? I also plan to throw in some herbs and cheddar chunks oh and garlick of coarse ! | I would say yes it will
I would say yes it will change the flavor if not ruin it. Chicken broth is protien and goes rancid fast. It also has alot of fat in it. I would not use it in bread of any kind. And never in a starter at all ewww. Good way to ruin a good starter and bread. |
SDS questions
I have searched to no avail on my quesion. Ok, I am using BBA seed starter with pineapple juice. I just got the book so it is the newest edtion. I did rye two days in a row instead of one. I am on day 4 but really 5 as I had no rise to refresh with and let sit another 24 hrs.
Ok, when I refreshed toda... | I've had best results to get
I've had best results to get a culture active when I:
a) use bottled water
b) use whole wheat flour
c) cover the jar loosely with plastic wrap, with no lid on top! |
Altus: Wet or Dry?
I am trying MiniO's favorite rye loaf again and she mentions altus as an optional ingredient.
After searching old threads here the conventional wisdom seems to be split as to how to add it to a dough.
One school says to add after it has been soaked in water over night while the other school prefers t... | I just grated some dried rye bread to add.
I do both adding dry and/or wet crumbs to dough and add/or to the starter. A lot depends on the amount of dough being mixed. If you are mixing for 10 loaves, then soaking pressing out the water and running this thru a mixer while making the dough breaks it up nicely. Someti... |
Wet paint smell?
Hello,
I followed Hamelman's schedule for raising a sourdough. 125% hydration, started with Rye+honey, transitioned to AP flour (KAF), been feeding twice daily (except for the first day). I keep about 300 grams of it in a sealed plastic container -- a typical dough-riser container with a sealed lid. ... | Typical smell for an unfed,
Typical smell for an unfed, neglected, hungry, or whatever else one wants to call it, starter. The smell will go away when feedings resume.
The container, generally, should not be sealed air tight. It should be vented, as gases are generated as the starter metabolizes. Any venting, just the ... |
Sourdough help
Hi
I am pretty new to the world of baking and thought I would try my hand at making a sourdough starter for future sour dough bread. Now I have done it the old school way and mixed 1 cup whole meal flour + 1 cup water, covered and kept in a contant warm place [a spot above my geaser where we dry cloths. ... | Much too thin.
I suspect there is probably quite a bit of activity going on. It is probably just happening so fast due to the apparently very thin consistency. That consistency will also make it hard for it to hold any bubbles for any observable growth/activity. Also suspect what you describe as hooch, is more likely j... |
Weird bad loaf
Made a 75% hydration variant of a previous loaf and all things were done the same (levain 5 hrs, autolyse 1 hr, bulk ferment 4 hours, proof overnight, baked in dutch oven) and for some reason this one just sucks. Super dense crumb. It's a lively starter that gets fed friday night and used saturday for a ... | underproofed?
it looks underproofed to me… you say you kept all the timings the same as previous bakes, but is there a chance your ambient room temperature is lower now? or some other reason the dough would be colder (e.g., colder water)? if this was a “75% hydration variant”, what was the hydration of the previous bak... |
Starter not falling
Hi all,I am new to making sourdough bread. This is my starter. I made it yesterday and as you can see it’s tripled in size. I have not fed it but it does appear to be slowing down. Do I feed it tomorrow and if it grows again to this current size, will it be ready?I think there may also be a little h... | Feed it once, then just stir
Feed it once, then just stir it a couple 3 times a day until it starts growing again. When it stops rising it'll need food again. Ready tomorrow, if started yesterday, highly unlikely. Enjoy! |
Bread bursting through slashes - help please!
Hi folks. Would appreciate some advice/troubleshooting, please.
Lately, my SD breads have been bursting through slashes or even the seam under the loaf. The bread still tastes fine, crumb reasonably even etc, but I'm puzzled as to why I keep turning out these malformed loav... | Under proof
Hi Ross,
The dough obviously still has a lot of life left in it, so the sudden rise which results when you put it in the oven is causing your dough to rupture in this way.
Maybe it's a good sign that your dough is getting stronger, and needs slightly longer fermentation? also, it's coming to your winter t... |
Day two of Bread Builder's beginner starter and bubbles and expansion.
I've done this before, but never seen activity this fast before. Should I refresh on day two or wait till tomorrow morning, day three. I'd hate to kill it by waiting too long.
Thanks | Go for it.
If the starter is ready, then feed it. This may be a false start, though. Did you use the pineapple juice solution? What is the odoe of the starter?
Ford |
Help with sourdough starter
I need help with sour dough starter. I tried to use the starter in the CIA book for artisan breads. I could not get it to work. Than I tried the starter recpie in the Bakers apprentice. It worked for a while than it died after I froze it and it couldn't be revived. Ive tried different things... | The search function is your friend
At the top left corner of the page is the search field. There are countless threads on starters.
Here's an excerpt from the article that is here:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10901/pineapple-juice-solution-part-2
Day 1: mix...
2 tablespoons whole grain flour* (wheat or rye)2 t... |
80% hydration = pancake batter
I was getting burnt, no-bounce sourdough loaves and thought this problem might be fixable with higher hydration.
So I mixed an 80% hydration sourdough. It was so soupy that despite several stretch and folds, it remained the consistency of pancake batter. I could not shape it at all. ... | this depends on the type of
this depends on the type of flour you are using. With an all-purpose bread flour, this will most likely be a soupy mess like you described. different flours can take in different amounts of water. a whole grain wheat flour will absorb much more water than an all purpose white flour or even h... |
Grapes in starter, just experimenting here
My starter (Tartine method) is 4 days old now and sluggish. I happened to buy some grapes at the supermarket today. While snackin on them I just crushed up a few and threw them in there. My thinking is that I'll innoculate the goop with some yeasties and perk up my starter qui... | well...
hi elissabee,
It can't hurt.
BTW, some people seem to believe that the "yeasties from grapes" is a myth. Some of the fruit water threads that I've been seeing suggest otherwise. In any case, I do believe that the sugar in the grape juice provides food supports the environment for natural yeast to grow.
more im... |
Is there a DUMBED DOWN version of building and maintaining a STARTER??
Folks, Im in the process of building a seed culture that will eventually feed a mother starter that I will maintain in my fridge and use for occassional bread baking. however, Im trying to follow Reinhart's Artisan Bread Every Day formula for creat... | Seed culture, mother sponge,
Seed culture, mother sponge, baby sponge, why we have to use all of these terms...? I found that very confusing at first.
But what you want to do, I assume, is start a sourdough starter.
A search for starting a starter yields: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10251/starting-starter-sourdo... |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.