I don't think the problem is a lack of malt, unless you are using an organic unenriched (unmalted) flour. Just about all flours sold at the market are malted.
Forget the sugar or honey, which are overused and not really all that healthy. You can make perfectly beautiful sourdough bread using just flour, water, levain, and salt - but you do need to provide steam, which will develop color to the crust as well as help in volume.
Given your description of a gummy crumb, am not sure if you baked it long enough.
Search TFL for Susan's simple sourdough and give that a try. It's an easy recipe - but scaling your ingredients will produce much better results.
of bread did you make?
Well done for the first attempt. How did you like the taste`?
Just your basic 1-2-3 sourdough recipe. Didn't rise a much as I would have liked, but I think that's because I didn't give it enough time.
The taste? It was sour, but not too sour. I think that I will probably use another recipe to fix that. I have lots to learn still. :D
Your bread came out pale because the yeasts consumed all of the sugars. Better add a touch of malt, or honey or sugar (in this order of preference).
Y'know, I was wondering about that - the paleness I mean. Where can I find malt?
Hi Joey,
I don't think the problem is a lack of malt, unless you are using an organic unenriched (unmalted) flour. Just about all flours sold at the market are malted.
Forget the sugar or honey, which are overused and not really all that healthy. You can make perfectly beautiful sourdough bread using just flour, water, levain, and salt - but you do need to provide steam, which will develop color to the crust as well as help in volume.
Given your description of a gummy crumb, am not sure if you baked it long enough.
Search TFL for Susan's simple sourdough and give that a try. It's an easy recipe - but scaling your ingredients will produce much better results.
Happy baking.
Alright, I will. Thanks. :D
What was the temperature of the oven? Lower temps can give you pale bread.
Mary Clare
Temp was at 400F, and I baked it for a good 45 min.