Sourdough starter - anyone make it?

meeeeh

magicmushroom wrote: »

tringle I have seen lots of different advice too, my mind is boggled with it all.

Also, some advise that when you feed it, you should throw half of what is already there away...does anyone here do this??

I do. Sometimes I throw it away or I use half of it for baking.

The only time when I saw starter bulk up considerably is first day when I left it in hot press. After that it is bubbling on the surface or not even that, if I leave it alone for too long the water seems to be on top. Good intensive mixing seems to sort that out. I baked with it a few times and it works fine. I use wholemeal flour, apparently it reacts faster than white.

tringle

Yes, I am using a metal whisk. But when I knead it I will also be using a metal bowl and dough hook.

Yep,I think I need to throw some of it out, in Joes video he says one part starter, one part flour and one part water. Ive bought some batteries for my digital scales and will try that tomorrow.

kimokanto

tringle wrote: »

And now Ive juts found this, great advice but different again

http://www.riotrye.ie/common-loaf/#ryess

I am loving this thread, I have tried & failed in the past but I am determined to give this a go again.
Thanks for that link Tringle, nice to see some home-grown advice.

I found this website & although long-winded it gives good clear well justified reasons for the steps involved.
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=startermyway2

OU812

tringle wrote: »

Yes, I am using a metal whisk. But when I knead it I will also be using a metal bowl and dough hook.

It's OK at that point, but while the yeast is developing & fermenting, you need to use only wood, glass,plastic. No metal at all.

Bored_lad

If your using stainless steel it will have no adverse effect on the yeast no matter what stage in the process you use it. I can't see why anyone would be using anything other than stainless steel so metal isn't a problem with yeast any more if it ever was.

tringle

Im going to gives Joes rye starter a go as well and will reduce he amount of the other two. Ive bought 3 kilner jars, I was going to buy 2 pyrex dishes but at €30 each I decided not too

tringle

Ok, Ive managed to get a starter going and managed to get it to make the bread rise. But my second rising and baking times don't seem to work. Either it over rises and then collapses or collapses in the oven. Do you bake it on a tray or in a dish? And how long do you rise it and bake it?

christeb

tringle wrote: »

And now Ive juts found this, great advice but different again

http://www.riotrye.ie/common-loaf/#ryess

I attended Joe's Serious Sourdough course a few weeks ago, so just to mention a couple of important points:

- Float Test your Starter. If it floats in room temp water it's ready to use, if it doesn't, it's not.
- Temperatures when proving. Most yeast activity at 23-24 C, so try to keep your temps around this - unless you want to retard fermentation in a fridge etc.
- How to know when your dough is ready to bake. Press the dough with your finger, it should bounce back nicely.
- I pre-heat my oven for an horu on the hottest temp with a baking stone, this helps develop a great crust and cooks it through. Recommended. If you want your loaves to looks v professional, prove them in a (non-gluten) floured proving basket. Gives the loaves those cool lines the whole way around!

If you can spare a day I highly recommend his course in Cloughjordan!

tringle

Why a gluten free floured basket? I was using the same flour as the bread.

christeb

tringle wrote: »

Why a gluten free floured basket? I was using the same flour as the bread.

No gluten ensures your dough won't stick to the basket. Brown rice flour is perfect.

kimokanto

Finally got my starter to work!! I used organic wholemeal flour & organic wholemeal rye flour. (75%/25%) equal weights of water to flour & kept it on the mantelpiece I think its working:pac::pac:

Bored_lad

Anyone who has an interest in sourdough or making their own breads should definitely watch Michael Pollan's "Cooked" on Netflix. Episode three called "Air" is all about making bread.

Rew

I was struggling a bit with mine I made some changes to the water I was using and the result have been much better, last 2 loaves:





I got pH srips and tested the tap water to make sure it was 4-6, I also boil it then set aside to stand for 24h to let any chlorine evaporate off. I should really get a filter but ill get around to it eventually. Bottled water was a disaster as the pH was nearly 8.

tringle

Finally made a sourdough bread and have done three days in a row now.
So I had a starter with apple
A starter with natural yeast
A starter with packet yeast
A starter with rye flour

I felt like giving up but had a lot of flour and time invested so I threw them all in together and bingo it worked.

I made a loaf with one recipe and it over proved and collapsed and was dense.
I made a loaf wit another recipe and it never proved at all.

So I put all the starter in the fridge and forgot about it.

Then I took some out the other day and now have a successful rhythm going.
9am: One cup starter, one cup flour, one cup tepid water, whisk really well and leave to rise.
11.30am: In my mixer add three cups strong flour, 2 cups starter and one cup tepid water and knead for about 10 minutes. This leaves me with exactly one cup starter for tomorrow. Leave covered in the mixing bowl to double in size.
3pm: Pour out onto a floured board and shape into a round shape by cupping and stretching the top, put into a round tin lined with baking parchment, sprinkle with flour and put some cuts in it.
6pm: Bake
7.30pm: Just in time for dinner

It tastes great and is comparable with any good yeast bread I have made. It doesn't quite have the large holes associated with sourdough. I cook it with a softish crust and this is what we prefer. We have enough for four of us for dinner, breakfast and even bruschetta for lunch.

Thanks all for the help and encouragement.:)

daisybelle2008

I sent off for Carl Griffiths 1847 Oregon sourdough starter before Christmas. It's free you just contribute to posting, they post you around a large teaspoonful, it arrived a week ago.
It's a dried starter so I have started the process to activate it today after reading this thread!

Dried bits still look fairly solid so not sure how that will affect it. Fingers crossed.