Questions tagged [sourdough]
Questions regarding baking and working with wild yeasts and starters (also known as levains or chefs).
180
questions
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0answers
34 views
Making my first sourdough starter (and bread of course)…any tips? [on hold]
I am making my first sourdough starter (and bread of course)...any tips? I started it 2 days ago, and it looked quite good while in the fermentation process. I only made a small quantity with approx. ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views
When to add the rye flour if it really makes a difference?
I wish to use a small amount of rye in my wheat sourdough bread, because supposedly it improves the flavor of the bread.
What I'm wondering is whether it makes a difference if I introduce this rye ...
3
votes
1answer
85 views
Unscored loaf is sealing up
I'd like to do an unscored loaf of bread where instead of scoring you let it burst along the seams. The examples I've seen say you proof it seam down. The problem is that I tried this and the seams ...
3
votes
2answers
61 views
Make bread with flour different from the starter
I have been able to cultivate a strong sourdough starter with whole wheat flour and semolina flour.
Now I want to make a bread with all purpose flour, show should I proceed ?
Get this already ...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
Sourdough starter with milk vs just using regular starter and adding milk separately?
How much of a difference would it make to the final product and which one would be the better choice for any enriched sourdough breads/pastries/cakes etc? And by "regular starter" I mean the normal ...
14
votes
2answers
5k views
Can I give my friend the sour dough “throw away” as a starter to their sourdough starter?
Many sourdough techniques suggest throwing away half your starter further on in the fermenting process. The reason given (in many YouTube videos I've watched) is that it'd eventually take over your ...
5
votes
3answers
202 views
Why is baking soda included in sourdough cracker recipe?
I'm following a recipe for crackers made with unfed sourdough starter (other ingredients are flour, oil, and salt). It also calls for 1/4 tsp baking soda and I'm wondering why since the dough sits on ...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
Bubbles Are ONly on Top of My Sourdough Starter
My starter, (new) is bubbly on top and rising but does not have may bubbles in its body.Can it still be use to make a Levin or dough?
2
votes
2answers
97 views
Getting sourdough to rise not spread [duplicate]
Any pointers on getting a 75% hydration wheat sour dough loaf to hold more shape and spread less?
Full details of current method:
I have a 100% wheatflour levain with a 75% hydration. It is stiffer ...
4
votes
1answer
640 views
My sourdough splits at final proofing (pic included), advice?
The last couple of times I've made bread the dough starts "splitting" during final proofing.
Does anybody have any idea why? The bread is still great but it doesn't get as much oven spring as I'd ...
2
votes
0answers
60 views
What to do with wet sourdough mix which was left to proof 10h?
I followed this recipe and did the stretch and fold three times according to the timings, just that my dough wasn't round enough at the end of the third time. I then left the dough at room temperature ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Is no-knead bread method compatible with stretch and fold during the bulk rise?
Using the no-knead method (as decribed by Jim Lahey), instead of leaving the dough undisturbed during the initial fermentation period, would it be harmful to add in some stretch and folds to build ...
0
votes
1answer
61 views
How to determine amount of mother starter to use to build a levain for STIFF/dry sourdough starter?
I have a healthy, active dry sourdough starter (50% hydration). Most of the recipes I want to use it in, ask for anywhere between 100 g, 150g and 200 g. How much of the starter would I have to use in ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
Different sourdough starter behavior based on starter composition?
In general, what are the different "behaviours" of sourdough starter, based on their composition, all other things being equal?For instance a 100% white flour starter vs. 100% wholewheat flour starter ...
3
votes
1answer
140 views
How to have a weekly baking sourdough starter plan
I want to start baking 2 loaves of sourdough bread every Sunday evening.
I have to start from scratch. So I do not have any starter yet.
Can someone please help me with a plan to do it?
How and ...
0
votes
1answer
160 views
Sourdough starter gone wild
Why is my starter bubbling out of the container within minutes of mixing. I used 2 c. bread flour, 2 c. water and 2.25 tsp active dry yeast.
5
votes
1answer
219 views
Why are sourdough crusts thicker?
I'm used to the crust on sourdough bread being thick and chewy, but had always attributed that to the longer rise, and baking with steam, that one normally does with sourdough. However, this week I ...
2
votes
2answers
113 views
how to correct a problem with my sourdough starter
My boss gave me a sourdough starter that I've had on my counter for a week. I"ve fed it with just equal parts of flour and water without wasting the starter in order to increase the amount. it has ...
2
votes
1answer
196 views
How do you know if your starter is powered mainly by yeast or bacteria?
One quick follow-up question to this postMy sourdough starter is bubbling but not rising, suggestions?: How do you know if your starter is bubbling because of yeast (and not bacteria)?
I've been ...
2
votes
0answers
34 views
How should I adapt recipes according to the amount of sourdough starter?
I use the starter irregularly, therefore the amount I take to make the dough changes every time: I work by taking a fixed amount of starter to feed further, and by using all the rest in the recipe.
...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
Underside of dough in proofing basket pulls apart
When I form a loaf out of dough and put it upside-down into a proofing basket, the bottom of the loaf sometimes begins to pull apart from itself, as if the dough isn't sticking to itself as much as it ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
Does package yeast inhibit wild fermentation?
I baked my first “sourdough” boules today and there was zero detectable sour or tartness.
After about day four of zero activity in my baby starter I added a packet of packaged yeast I bloomed ...
2
votes
0answers
65 views
Can one use a mix of white rice flour with regular white flour sourdough to make a pizza crust? If so then what ratio might be the best?
I have a regular active sourdough (comprising 50% fermented white wheat flour and 50% water by weight) which is obviously not really malleable as a dough but rather liquid-ish, and I did not like the ...
2
votes
0answers
138 views
My homemade sourdough bread tastes bitter after letting it stay for one day
I do sourdough bread at home, and through the process, I've tasted lots of not-yet-baked breads. Also, tasted someone else's sourdough bread, which was quite good.
Now, I'm in the stage where I can ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Vinegar Smell from Sourdough Starter
I am in the process of creating my sour-dough starter.
I've been mixing in water and "strong bread flour" around a 1:1 ratio (100g of each, slightly more water to make the mixture wetter).
The ...
3
votes
2answers
130 views
What does sourdough starter REALLY need?
I have one of these fancy french baking books that says that the sourdough needs to be feed with a 2:1:3 ratio of water, starter and flour. But a lot of videos I see online basically just pour a ...
2
votes
1answer
140 views
What type of flour is ideal for sourdough?
I have found a recipe for sourdough starter culture that calls for 50 grams of flour with 50 ml of water, but the recipe does not state what specific type of flour you should use. Can you use any type ...
2
votes
2answers
641 views
Over proofed dough still good?
I decided to make a 2.5kg sourdough to make bread and pizza out of it. I used the following formula: 76% hydration, 2% salt, 20% of starter (100%).
I mixed the flour and water and let it autolyse for ...
3
votes
1answer
212 views
Why is my gluten so weak?
I’ve been making sourdough bread regularly for over a year now. But since about half a year ago, the bread has consistently come out badly because the gluten doesn’t seem to develop properly:
the ...
-5
votes
1answer
310 views
Pros and Cons of Sourdough
What are the pros and cons of making bread at home using sourdough starter vs. commercial yeast other than cost?
I am NOT at all interested in the answers a Google search yields which all appear to ...
1
vote
0answers
73 views
Wheat sourdough starter - “swamp” smell
Some time ago I have grown my own sourdough starter fed with 50/50 wholemeal rye & all-purpose wheat flour (with 100% hydration). It turned out great, it normally grows a bit over 2x in volume ...
1
vote
1answer
138 views
How do I make my sourdough crust thinner?
I have been playing around with my sourdough recipes, and I can't figure out how to make my crust thinner.
Only things I do out of the ordinary are when baking I have a pot of hot water in the oven ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Not feeding sourdough starter enough?
I'm new to the whole baking thing, so I'm learning as I go along. In that regard, there may be a host of things wrong with my bread baking process, but I'm mostly curious at this point about my ...
1
vote
2answers
409 views
Small black spot on sourdough starter
I haven't fed my sourdough in about a month so I was going to feed it and I saw a black spot on the dough. I scooped it out and fed the sourdough.I'm worried if this could possibly be black mold and ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
When to add salt in sourdough bread mix?
I was reading around and seems that a lot of forums are saying to delay adding the salt in your sourdough mix.
I dissolved the salt in water and then I poured the sourdough starter in the water and ...
2
votes
3answers
182 views
Sourdough starter - Have I been doing it wrong?
I made my own starter a couple weeks ago: flour and water, and left it on the top of the fridge. I have been feeding the starter each day for the past two weeks.
I have not discarded any. Now the ...
0
votes
3answers
673 views
Sourdough starter stopped growing, is it normal?
I posted a question a few days ago. This was my first sourdough starter: My sourdough starter split in 2 on the 3rd day. What should I do?
and I decided to only keep the foamy part and throw the ...
3
votes
1answer
433 views
My sourdough starter split in 2 on the 3rd day. What should I do?
I have fed it first after 24h and it grew nicely. And on the 2nd morning after I woke up I saw this:
Should I keep the upper half? or simply start a new batch?
I have used the following formula: ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Sourdough Starter Black Spots
Hi All! I tried to make a sourdough starter, and after 24 hours I uncovered it and discovered black spots and 2 white fluffy areas. The black spots are only at the top layer so can I still use it ...
4
votes
1answer
270 views
What is the difference between a wild yeast starter and a sourdough starter?
Many people only seem to distinguish between 'regular' bread (made with store bought commercial strains of yeast) and sourdough (made with 'wild' yeast). If this is the only distinction - was all ...
4
votes
2answers
565 views
What went wrong with this bread?
I just baked this bread using sour dough. Why is there a large hole in it? What can I do to prevent this from happening next time?
Pre oven:
Post oven:
3
votes
1answer
2k views
My sourdough starter stopped growing after day two
I've tried making my own sourdough starter.
On the first day I added a cup of whole rye flour with 3/4 of cool filtered water. After 24 hours it already started smelling a little sour and had a few ...
11
votes
3answers
738 views
What's the point of long/complex sourdough feeding techniques?
About a year ago, a friend taught me how she makes her sourdough bread and gave me a portion of her starter. It works great and makes fantastic loaves. I've started to look at other recipes online ...
0
votes
1answer
796 views
Sourdough starter not buoyant
If my sourdough starter does not float in water, does that mean it is not ready?
2
votes
1answer
137 views
Artisan sourdough bread
We buy artisan white sourdough bread from a baker. when we first got it the loaves were lovely for sandwiches. Lately for a couple months now the loaves having been coming with large holes maybe in ...
1
vote
2answers
168 views
Sourdough starter hydration
I’m making my first sourdough starter. Actually my second; the first one dried up and turned into cement. I figured that it wasn’t hydrated enough (the original directions called for 35g rye flour, ...
1
vote
1answer
528 views
Making sourdough bread with just flour and water (and no starter)
Suppose I do not have a starter and I am not interested in creating one. Would the following recipe work to create an edible sourdough bread? If not, why not?
Recipe:
Mix 10 cups of flour with ...
0
votes
1answer
295 views
Storing fresh sourdough [duplicate]
I would like to know what is the best way to store fresh baked sourdough so that it maintains a nice crunchy crust and a nice soft, slightly moist, light texture? I usually store it at room ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Working with a slack (sticky) sourdough
My background is in microbiology and I have fairly recently started making sourdough.
I have been working up my sourdough recipe getting lots of information from friends and the internet.
The recipe ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
Sourdough recipe with vinegar
I use a sourdough starter to bake my breads. I read somewhere that adding a touch of vinegar will help with the oven rise.
What are the implications of adding vinegar to my recipe?
