Request for help from a sourdough virgin in Seattle …
I was told to introduce myself and request for help in this forum so here it goes……
Hi, My name is Sandra .. and I am a Sourdough virgin….
I just built a 2250 sq ft commercial kitchen and don’t know how to bake, is that sick or what? I started this business so our local chefs and bakers would have a facility to start a business and help them grow..I kind of got the bug from the bakers and saw how much pleasure they got out of creating something so beautiful! I don’t know why I did not start with something simple but I could not start with something simple....
I have a starter that is 1 week old and consists of bottled water and bread flour.. that is it. I did not add yeast in order to have a better taste. My starter is not “bubbling” like some of the starters shown in videos… but it has a great sour taste. My sourdough bread comes out condensed and but tastes great! .. I was told by a very nice person on line that I was working my dough too much… so now I have a test batch brewing so we will see what comes of it… any input you can offer that would be great!
Regards,
Sandra
"My starter is not “bubbling” like some of the starters shown in videos… but it has a great sour taste. "
Then it ain't ready to bake yet. If your starter can't double itself in at least 8-12 hours, it's simply not ready. Give it time. Make sure to feed it twice daily with water and flour. Oh, and don't worry about the bottled water... many people have run experiments comparing bottled water to tap water for starter feeding, and the overwhelming conclusion is that it doesn't make a difference one way or the other.
Thanks for the info.... I was worried that my starter went bad and was going to throw it out and start again... but something told me that if I had the tast I was close... I have learned to be patient and not try to rush things like I always do.....
I will give this time to grow up and then try again!
Thanks for the help!
Sandra
If your starter is only 1 week old, then you are rushing things. I would advise you to add a tablespoon or two of rye or whole wheat flour to your feedings until it gets going. Rye is the preferred flour of the two. The wild yeasts live on the outer layers of the grains so any whole grain flour is going to have a higher concentration of yeast cells than white bread flour does. Avoid bleached flours. Keep the starter where it is between 75 and 80 degrees, if possible, and it will start faster. I don't recommend that you use tap water at least until it gets growing. If you do decide to use tap water in the future, make sure your water treatment plant does not use chloramine to treat your water. Chlorine is fine because it will dissipate after the water stands for awhile.
We have bread! I let my barm sit for at least a day longer then normal then hand folded it and proofed it for 15 minutes ... baked with steam for 20 seconds and presto! The batch doubled in size from my last batches so we are on a roll now....
I want to thank you all for your help on getting me started!
Regards,
Sandra