First bread made with my new starter
I am again trying Ed Wood's "San Francisco Sourdough" starter. I began activating the dry starter just a week ago. It took about 5 days to get it up to speed. This is the first bread I've baked with this new starter. It's my "San Joaquin Sourdough" made without any added instant yeast and with KAF Bread Flour.
My San Joaquin Sourdough is based on Anis Bouabsa's method for baguettes, which utilizes a long cold retardation at the bulk fermentation stage. The flavor of the bread was what i usually get with this formula. It is very mildly sour. There was no distinctive "San Francisco Sourdough" flavor, but the starter is still very new, and the flavor should develop over the next month or so. We'll see.
I have another couple loaves shaped and cold retarding to bake tomorrow. Those were also made with this starter but with a more conventional method. I expect them to be more sour in flavor.
David
Comments
I picture myself wearing all-black clothing and small pillows tied to the bottom of my shoes, as I silently break in to the Snyder household to empty the fridge of the cold retarded loaves. Although I'm trying stay as stealthy and ninja-like as possible, the sight of that loaf on the kitchen counter throws me off balance... I somehow forget about the retarding loaves, and instead choose a carefully aged red wine from the Snyder wine cabinet, instead spending the endless night hours munching on SJ SD slices, flushing each bite down with filling sips from a wine glass. I hope I make it out of there before David comes down to turn on the oven.
So it takes 5 days to activate the starter? That's more or less the time it takes to start a new one from scratch... I have my doubts about the flavours of the different starters, but I won't enter that minefield here. Anyway, looking forward to more goodness tomorrow :)
Hi, hansjoakim.
You are welcome any time. There's plenty of bread to share and red wine too. I have a whole wall in my walk-in pantry devoted to floor to ceiling wine racking. Just bring along one of your gorgeous pastries for dessert.
However, if sneaking around in the dark improves the taste of bread for you, have at it. Just don't be too startled by the burglar alarm. ;-)
David
... what an amazing crumb! It looks so silky and moist!
Great imagination Hans Joakim! What bread can do...
I think hansjoakim would be stunning in a black ninja outfit, don't you?
David
David
Thanks, David. I change 'em every two weeks.
Even the wettest doughs are slashed effortlessly.
David,
Would you please continue to ocassionally drop us a posting of the evolution of the Ed Wood starter? I'm considering buying it too, but, like Han's, I'm wary.
At the moment, what hydration, and temperture do you keep your starters?
I"m growing tired of praising your always excellent breads, so this time I'm taking a rest;-)
David G
Hi, David G.
I used a 65% hydration starter for this bread. I've split the new starter and am keeping on at about 125% and the other at about 50% hydration. I'm interested in how each develops flavor.
I'm skeptical about Wood's claims, too. However, I do remember the wonderful flavor it had for a few months and want to see if I can get it again and, maybe, retain it for longer.
David
to see how, if at all, the two develop differently. Folklore, some pro-bakers, and some scientists, too would predict the stiffer starter will be more acidic, but I'm not having much success achieving increased sourness with stiff starters. I've built them for two or three days at room temperature, and 55°F (I've converted a coat closet into a small wine cellar. Who needs winter coats in Florida?) all have exhibited some increase in sourness, but not what I'd hoped for.
I asked what temperature you store your starters at. I think that may be a factor too. I keep mine in the refrigerator, and build formula ready starters over 24 hours, or more, before baking. However, I've been contemplating letting one stiff starter remain at room temperature, feeding it daily, for weeks, or months, and see if I can develop a really sour version.
Thanks
David G
I keep my "stock" starters refrigerated (40ºF). I generally do one refreshment - doubling volume - at room temp. I may then refrigerate the activated starter, if I'm going to be using it within a couple of days.
When I mix active but cold starter with the rest of the ingredients, I use warm water to get to the desired dough temperature.
Supposedly, acetic acid production is promoted by firm starter at cool temperatures. Interestingly, Wood says acid production is increased at warmer temperatures (80-90ºF), but he doesn't specify whether he's talking about lactic or acetic acid.
David
What a Beauty, David! I could sure pack this loaf up for a picnic with some cheese and wine!
Sylvia
Just be cautious if you spread mayo on this bread. The slices have lots of big holes.
David
David - What a beautiful crumb you achieved. The starter might not be too sour at this point, but it's obviously healthy!
Larry
David
David...that is an absolutely beautiful crumb and I am VERY imporessed!! I must say though, my ignorance hangs out when yall talk about hydration.....I am still figuring all this out! I have a starter that I have had going for about 6 weeks now that is doing really well and is really sour. I also had one that was (I thought) doing well and made an amazing loaf of bread and within 2 days was dead with a really nasty looking film over it.....I was SO sad because I had made it using the wheat flour and juice recipe....I have no idea what I did wrong and fully intend to try it again. Anyway, thank you and all the others who share their bread and results with the rest of us! Oh and the bread that I made with ONLY the starter, that turned out so well, I tried to post the picture of it, but I have no idea how to make it small enough to do.....I was SO proud....oh well. I will try again! And don't be surprised if I am lurking in your kitchen with Hans, munching on your bread and drinking your wine!! But I will bring the Brie!!
THANK YOU
Jann
It would be good for you to get on friendly terms with bakers' math. Lots of formulas here and in many of the better bread books give ingredients in percentages. If you have this information or can calculate it, you can easily modify recipes or scale them up or down (larger or smaller batches of dough.)
Basically, all ingredients are described in terms of their percentage of the total flour in the formula. So, if you are making a bread with 500 gms of flour and 360 gms of water, your dough would be 360/500 x 100 = 72% hydration. Or working it the other way, if a formula calls for 2% salt and you are using 750 gms of flour, you will add 15 gms of salt (750 x 0.02).
There are good explanations of this in bread books by Peter Reinhart, Jeffrey Hamelman and Daniel DiMuzio.
If you run into hansjoakim in my kitchen, don't try sneaking up on him. Those ninjas tend to over-react to surprises.
David