July 5, 2013 - 2:22pm
transitioning to AP flour
Hi!
I have made and been keeping my starter alive with Whole Wheat flour, but would like to start feeding it AP instead (I plan to make mostly white breads).
I fed it white a few times and it stayed alive but was expanding a lot less/slower, so I ended up just going back to wheat.
Is there anything I need to do to move over to white flour other than just waiting for it to adjust and get back to normal activity? How long should that take? Should I feed it part WW/part AP?
Thanks!
Share
well, I've never switched food like this, but I can say it's not unusual for our friends to take a little time getting used to something new. since the buggers really only have 2 major variables, what they eat, and their environment, a little change can make a bit of a difference. I do believe white flour doesn't have the same nutritional content as a ww, or a rye, or a whole grain as far as the bugs are concerned. I can't imagine that wouldn't have an effect on the little guys.
you can split the starter and use white flour for 1 and your regular regimen for the other till the white settles down, and nothing wrong with using the ww starter for your white breads. you'll have a little more flavor in the white loaves. nothing wrong with that! happy baking!
I just use my well-balances,mature starter made and maintained with AP for all my breads-WW,white,etc. I don't make high percentage rye and that may require some special consideration and be have a rye sour built into the recipe.
I have two starters that I use for all bread: whole wheat and AP flour. I keep them both in the refrigerator and refresh them about every three weeks at 100% hydration. No problems. When I want to make bread I take out the starter and refresh at starter:flour:water::1:1:1 by weight. I let this ferment for about 8 to 10 hours and refresh again and let this ferment over-night. The starter is ready to go at the end of this period. Both starters came from the same mother.
Keep trying, if your whole wheat starter is healthy, it will adjust to the all purpose white flour. I am assuming it is unbleached, and unbrominated flour!
Ford
You should not have any issue converting WW to AP. Just keep feeding it until you are satisfied that it is nice and active and you will be good to go. I keep an AP starter and covert it to other starters as needed by building it up over 2-3 stages and it suits me just fine. Some people like to keep 2 starters, so it's up to you how you want to go.
Ian