First loaf from Sourdough Starter

Jack B. Badd

Oh yummy, I just had my first slice from my first loaf made with my first attempt at a sourdough starter (3 for 3 \o/).

Began my starter Friday a week ago using River Cottage recipe (http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/river-cottage-sourdough-recipe). Fed and watered daily with strong white and very strong wholemeal flour and after a few days of worry (few bubbles, funny smells, too thin to rise) the starter seems to have balanced and gotten to a nice, strong state.

Last night decided it was doing well enough to try baking with so mixed up a sponge. Mixed up a (mostly) wholemeal dough this morning and knocked back late afternoon. It was ready for baking around dinner time (just in time to coincide with Dr Who ) and turned out far better than expected for a first try. Bread is nice and springy, medium crust and quite sour so just right in my estimation!

I had a bit extra starter left so I'm going to try my hand at sourdough pancakes in the morning. The remaining (fed) starter has now gone into the fridge for a nap until I bake again next week.

So...this process has been remarkably painless Does anyone else want to share their stories of success? Or slightly delayed success? - it seems to be a "stick with it and it'll all turn out well in the end" process.

lucylu

fair play to you for having the patience to see it through.
I did see the repeated program on c4 last Sunday night.. however getting your hands on very strong wholemeal flour here is difficult

diddlybit

Wow, looks tasty. I've only made braed once in my life and it was a whole day of sweat and kneading. Turned out great though, always worth it afterwards,

Jack B. Badd

A whole day of sweat & kneading seems a bit off-putting alright The loaf I baked took about 10 mins kneading initially & then a few more minutes to knock back after rising. It did take the bones of 24 hours but for nearly all of that it was just left to it's own devices - 8 hours for the sponge to ferment, knead, 8 hours to rise, knock back, 3 hours to prove, 45 mins in the oven & a few hours cooling. I think HFW said it takes less kneading than a normal dough too because the starter has a long time to work in comparison to the hour or so you'd have with commercial yeast.

Lucylu - you could try one with strong (rather than v strong) wholemeal flour. I only used v strong because that was in the press.

kylith

I might give sourdough a try over the summer, but all that feeding and binning half seems like such a waste to me.

Jack B. Badd

You can use the discard for pancakes apparently (although I wouldn't unless it smells ok). After the first week to 10 days, once the starter has strengthened, you can refrigerate & only need to feed once a week or so. If you're baking weekly, you shouldn't have any loss after the first week or so.

kylith

Jack B. Badd wrote: »

You can use the discard for pancakes apparently (although I wouldn't unless it smells ok). After the first week to 10 days, once the starter has strengthened, you can refrigerate & only need to feed once a week or so. If you're baking weekly, you shouldn't have any loss after the first week or so.

I suppose it'd be possible to pass the discard on to someone else.

noworries

I don't think the discard will be much use except for pancakes as stated above. You are better off sharing some of your starter when it has matured.

I have been making sourdough ala River Cottage for 6 or 7 months now.
For us it is a treat and it never lasts longer than it takes to slice the loaf - it is that gorgeous.