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I'm new to this site and I've been enjoying browsing through everyone's recipes and discussions. After a few years of hiatus, I've just gotten myself back to baking sourdough breads, and I finally got a healthy starter going again after more than 2 months. (of course kicking myself for getting rid of my old starter after realizing how hard it is to get it started!) I am just coming out of the frustrating period of producing hockey pucks with the immature starter paired with an inpatient owner/baker. 

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My first croissants...errr almost croissants!

For my first pre-ferment, I tackled Jovial's No-Knead Overnight Artisan Loaf recipe, in which the entire dough (salt included!) is left to sponge for 10–15 hours. I modified the recipe somewhat, subbing instant for active dry yeast and simplifying the baking process, as I don't currently have a banneton or Dutch oven.

The good news on this bread is I know my sourdough culture is strong enough, after several failed attempts this week.  However, I have to wonder (despite the great ear) if it was proofed enough.  I did the basic Tartine bread and let it rise overnight in the fridge (about 10 hours).  I'm surprised it was so much smaller than my Forkish breads, but then with many of those I've been adding instant yeast as insurance (using his hybrid dough recipe) so that could be some of the difference.  But I'm sure there's other things.  Bulk ferment not long enough?  Fin

Enjoyed my first bake with whole khorasan. The crumb has a beautiful yellow hue and the crust darkened and crisped much better than other flours I’ve tried thus far. Flavor is pleasant, more mild than I’d expected. Really looking forward to working with it more. These two are 30% whole khorasan, 70% bread flour. 

I generally make my pie dough with a stiff ADY preferment but decided to convert the formula to use my stiff sourdough for a change. Came out quite good I’d say, though I think I prefer commercial yeast for pizza. The stiff preferment was noticeably less sour than the last time I made pizza dough with my starter, but this is still too sour for my liking. Will probably give this a shot again in a while and see if I can tweak the formula to reduce the sourness some more. 

My partner requested a cheddar and apple bread so I put together this iteration based on Kirsten’s Basic Open Sourdough recipe.

Levain build 1:2:2

20 g mature starter

20 g bread flour

20 g whole wheat flour

40 g water

311 g white bread flour.               74% including levain

46 g whole wheat flour.               21% including levain

To learn more about concentrated lactic acid sourdough (CLAS), please see here and here. 

This bread is from one of Chef Michaud's books, "La Boulangerie Baking at home". 

Phase 2, will debut a radical new steaming method. Stop back later for the 411!

Phase 1, Straight dough baguettes