July 5, 2008 - 9:27am
Failing sourdough texture
Hi, sourdough enthusiasts. I've been trying to work on my sourdough technique and I'm running into a problem whenever I try to use 100% starter, 0% yeast spike.
Basically, the dough grows in size, full of beautiful holes (I ferment it in a glass bowl), but when I turn it out for shaping, there is no gluten formation. The texture is like a crumbling rubber sponge. No windowpaning at all.
What's going wrong here? Too much starter? Contaminated starter? Overproofing?
I don't have this problem when I use a little glob of starter for flavor and get most of the leavening from dry yeast.
It is so frustrating to be unable to master this fundamental skill that peple have been using every damn day for thousands of years!