Liquid on top...ratios off? Too long between feedings?
Hi folks!
I was here last year for help with my first sourdough attempt. I successfully made bread with that starter, but was too lazy to keep it up. My Dad has been wanting sourdough pancakes, so I thought I'd give it another try.
I'm using the starter recipe below:
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-sourdough-starter-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-47337
Things were going so well the first two days! I assembled the starter Tuesday night and saw bubbles Wednesday morning. Thursday morning, it doubled in volume, but of course, sank by the feeding time that evening. Friday morning, there was a significant layer of liquid on top of the starter. I poured if off before the next feeding, and ever so slightly reduced my water addition. This morning (Sat), I check it, and once again, there's some liquid on top (though not as much as Friday morning). Recommendations? The plan was to have the starter finished by Saturday, so I could use it Sunday evening for the below recipe:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/klondike-style-sourdough-pancake-recipe-zmaz85ndzgoe.aspx
I do use a kitchen scale to measure the flour and water additions. However, I have not been using the fluid ounces setting for the water. Starter is in a large glass measuring cup and lives on top of the refrigerator. I'm in Texas, so temps are warm and humid. House A/C is usually set around 78 degrees.
The recipe is OK, though I prefer Debra Wink's "Pineapple Juice Solution" see the search box on this page upper right corner. You can continue with the material you now have and just add the pineapple juice instead of water. The pineapple juice just adjusts the pH of the media so that things go along faster. I would also start with whole wheat or whole rye flour as these seem to have more of the yeast and lacto-bacteria than white flour, then go to all-purpose flour. Do not use bleached flour. It will take about two weeks before the starter is really ready, and about a month before it is mature. After the starter is mature you can put it in the refrigerator and keep it forever. Just revive it every two to four week by throwing away all but about an ounce (30 grams) and add equal parts of flour and water (by weight). You can also convert it to whole wheat or rye or whatever, by using that flour instead of all purpose. I like to save some of my starter in the dried form, in case disaster strikes.
Ford
separation. Taste it (and spit it out) to see if it is hooch (young beer) or just water. Normally yeast activity will keep the starter stirred up (or you can do it about 4 times a day) to prevent separating. You can also add a little more flour if it seems too runny. If the weights are equal, there shouldn't be much separation but it can easily happen.
The best advice might be just to let it stand without feeding for 24 hrs (but do stir it occasionally) to see if the yeast numbers increase and the starter stays stirred up or cloudy. Then thicken when it smells yeasty and wait for the fed starter to return to yeasty bubbly stage before using for pancakes. I would also put a bowl under the measuring cup should it decide to rise and spill over. :)
The recipe is for a lot of starter.
Thanks for the advice! I have been letting it stand for 24hrs between feedings, so that doesn't sound much different. I really think it's too runny. It's the consistency of cake batter right now. I'll probably throw it out, and try again using the pineapple juice method. I usually count myself a fairly good cook, but sourdough just keeps knocking me down!
and see what happens. no water, just add flour. Give it 12 hours at least before deciding to dump it! When it peaks in rising, reduce to a smaller amount to feed and maintain and then use the risen ready culture for the pancakes. Most throw it out just as it comes around.
You can try again at the same time while watching this one. How does it taste by the way? My guess that with your temps, about the 4th day it needed to be fed more but that is always tricky business. If the liquid is hooch, then yes, it needed to be fed twice a day instead of once a day.
When I first created my starter it did this for a bit. I just stirred it back in as I saw suggested in somewhere in the copious reading I have been doing on sourdough. What changed it for me was twice a day feedings as Mini Oven suggests. After I did that for a couple days I could go back to once a day feedings. It did take 9 days before it really settled down & always fed without separating with no funky smells.
Kate