The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Substitute SD for yeast?

SCruz's picture
SCruz

Substitute SD for yeast?

Packaged yeast is relatively modern, available in the last 100 years or so. Before that, all bread was sourdough. Does that mean that any of our yeasted breads could be made from SD starter if the amount of flour is calculated from a bakers formula? Enriched breads too?

 

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer

Historically there has been an alternative to sourdough - yeast from beer brewing. I believe, that is what was used for e.g. brioche originally, not sourdough. So the premise of your question is not quite accurate.

However the answer is probably yes, any or almost any recipe with commercial yeast could be made with sourdough. It might be challenging with highly enriched doughs requiring very powerful starter and multistage dough builds (e.g. see pannetone - that's a highly enriched bread that is traditionally made with an extremely strong stiff sourdough starter). The result will be different too.

phaz's picture
phaz

It can, but expect a different product, with a definite possibility of a very different product. So, try it and see what happens. Enjoy! 

cfraenkel's picture
cfraenkel

Yes.  I have made brioche and pannetone from sourdough culture and have adapted many other breads to use sourdough as well.  

https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/55004/brioche-orange-blossom-water

http://www.wildyeastblog.com/panettone/