sourdough starter questions
I recently have gotten into bread baking which I have really enjoyed. It started with my girlfriend buying me the Tartine book for christmas and since then I have been researching and trying various recipes. I really love that its kind of "sciency" which appeals to my nature.
Anyway I have a few questions regarding sourdough starter peak times and ideal temperatures. I recently constructed a temperature controlled proofer. Here is the picture of it.
I originally was trying to develop my starter in my kitchen because the Tartine book suggested a cool shaded spot. My kitchen usually sits around 65-68F. After several days of this my starter basically had no activity at all. Since then I have moved it to the proofer I made. The proofer's ambient temperature sits around 80F and the starter is at 78F. The starter seems to be more and more predictable each day however it seems to peak very early. Below is the today's data on amount fed, time fed etc. I use a 50/50 blend white/wheat for feedings.
| Date | Starter Weight | Flour Weight | Water Weight | Feed Time | Peak Time |
| 4/2/2018 | 100g | 100g | 100g | 7:30 AM | 2:00 PM |
So I have the following questions for you.
- Is the temperature in my proofer too high?
- Is it peaking too early because its being underfed?
At perfect temperature fed 1:1:1 and peaking in about 6.5 hours. Sounds great to me.
When is your first bake?
Welcome to the forum.
I'm not sure to be honest. When is it considered able to be used?
The book mentions that after a few days of rising and falling it should be ready to use?
It's predictable and rises on cue. When peaked take a teaspoon of starter and carefully drop it into a glass of water. Does it float? If yes, your starter is fine.