New guy to SD
Hi all, my sour dough starter is now going well after nearly two weeks. I have made a couple of loaves already but needed to use some active yeast. However, the starter looks and smells very much more "alive" now so I have just made my first lump of dough using no active yeast at all. I placed the lump of sour dough inside a chilly bin ( cooler) in which I first placed a warm hot water bottle with a wire stand over it, on which Iplaced the plate with the dough on top. Of course a tight sealing lid was then put in place.
My questions are,
1) do you get more sour flavour in the bread the longer the dough takes to rise ?
3) If I'm not using a baking tin for my sour dough bread and just letting it sit on the tray unsupported when baking in the oven, should I mix a stiffer dough, or is it best to mix a softer dough and sit it inside some form of baking tin for support ?
Thanks all, any advice regarding the above and/or anything else for a newbie is welcomed.
Paul.
Paul,
on the taste: I could not discover a relation between time to rise and flavour. I would not expect the taste to go away when I proofe longer. Wait for other opinions from the real masters on this...
Mix: best for what? For looks? Sometimes I have noticed my dough became to soft and I just shaped again (just folding) 15 minutes before I put it in the oven. I just do see a sourdough 'fit' into a tin. That is more related to the kind of bread it should be instead of technical possibilties.
Keep on baking,
Cheers, Jw.
I'd say the older the sourdough, the more sour taste. I made mine with the pineapple juice also. I have it about 4 mos now. I always use 1/4 tsp instant yeast with 1/4 to 1/2 cup sourdough starter added to my dough, insurance!! -Rob
Hi, Paul.
Welcome to sourdough baking!
Your starter is still young at 2 weeks old. It sounds like it is ready to raise dough, but it will develop better, more complex flavor as you continue to nurture it.
Sourness is another story. This depends on the hydration level and temperature at which you keep your starter and dough. In general, if you want more acetic acid (the vinegar-type sourness), a firm starter kept in a cooler environment will achieve this. Lactic acid is produced more at somewhat warmer temperatures. The balance between the two you like best is a matter of personal preference.
You can find many discussions of this topic by searching on TFL and also on other sites like Mike Avery's
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/ .
A longer rise at the bulk fermentation stage will give you better, more complex flavor. A cold retardation of the formed loaves (12-24 hours at 40F) will give you a more sour flavor.
If you are making free-form loaves, proofing the loaves with some support is advisable, particularly for high-hydration breads. You can use a banneton (purchased or home made) or a couche to support the loaves while they are rising, so they do rise upward rather than spreading out.
If you are new to baking hearth loaves (as opposed to pan loaves), you may want to search TFL for more information on these methods.
I hope this helps.
Happy baking!
David
thanks everyone. I'm about to try this cold retardation for the first time plus a new kneading regime I got from "lessons" above.
The loaf made 2 days a go dissappeared very quickly after the family discovered it !