My Starter is back to 100% hydration...
... and the reason is that it gives my bread a more sour taste that my family and I like.
I feed him * Gordon * 1 x a day and he gives the BEST tasting bread.
I did not quite get the same with the Stiff 50% hydration Starter, the sour was different not in the first bite but half a minute after a bite.
I also noticed when I feed my 100% hydration Starter 2x a day it will not give me the nice sour tasting bread that we love.
1x a day and it is just beautiful.
My fav. recipe so far * and that of my family *
300g mature 100% hydration starter
365g water * warm *
600g bread flour
100g Wholemeal flour
20g salt
2 tbsp olive oil
This for me is perfect and so it is not a high hydration loaf it is wonderful with a lovely crust , a medium open/ish crumb and once I tip the shaped loaf out of the banneton it will hold its shape, so I can choose to use a dutch Oven or bake it on a baking sheet...
I use my Stand Mixer for kneading, knead no more than 7 Minutes, rest the bread for half an hour and then put it for bulk fermentation in the oiled bowl and off it goes in the fridge overnight.
Shaping and proofing the next morning, proofing in the banneton for max. 2 ½ hours and bake:)
I do prefer the dutch oven so I preheat the dutch oven in the oven, then I bake the bread on 250 C for 40 minutes with the lid on, turn down the heat to 200 C and carry on baking without the lid.
YUMMY
The bread rises great too:)
How often do you bake? Do you bake daily?
Hi mixinator,
I bake every day, we are a family of 6 and I want to make sure that I always have one or 2 loafs in the freezer, just in case:)
I agree with the feeding frequency part. I found that my starter gives me the sourness and complexity in taste when i use it just after feeding it 2 times when refreshing from a slumber in the fridge.
not sure about the % of hydration though as i've always only kept a 100% hydration starter.
Hi py,
I have my Starter on the counter during the Winter and feed him once a day and the flavour is wonderful.
I prefer mine on the Counter as I bake daily, during the Sommer I baked a few loafs over the Weekend and the Starter was in the fridge from Monday - Friday.
I tend to hydrate mine to the consistency of soft hummus and feed it with a mixture of rye and white wheat flour. It smells deliciously "beery" right now...
Yoohooo rozeboosje:)
That is the consistency of my Starter and that is the way I do like it most.
I experimented with stiff Starter but it did not give me the sourness that we all love in my family.
I feed mine with just bread flour but for the loafs I use Rye and / or Wholewheat.
LOVE the smell of Sourdough, I am sooooo hooked since May 2013. pfff
I rarely put oil in the dough. I don't even oil the bowl for bulk fermentation as this will add oil to the dough. On occasions I have done but prefer not to. I also try not to flour too much when shaping as this will alter the hydration. I like to wet my hands when kneading as I dont mind upping the hydration which is better than lowering.
Anyways back to the point I was trying to make. How about putting no oil in the dough and just oiling the bowl or vice versa. This way the amount isnt altered. Afterall you're just oiling the bowl for it not to stick as supposed to the actual recipe. But good idea to take into account that it actually adds oil to the dough. I manage with non and rely on the dough scraper.
... because the bread does not get stale as quick.
I never use extra flour while kneading and I am very happy with a 60% hydration.
I do not count the 2 tbsp oil in to the hydration percentage nor the 1 tsp oil that I use for the bowl, it never affected my bread.
I baked without oil in dough and / or bowl and so I can honestly say, it does not affect the end product.
My hands are better at the moment so I can do my french kneading again, and I so missed doing that.
Are you still using your bread machine or do you bake in the oven ?
Hi Petra -
If you bake once per day then your 1x per day feeding schedule makes great sense. That's how the big sourdough bakeries in San Francisco used to do it.
I too prefer a liquid starter, mine being 133% hydration.
Yes, once a day, I have too really. I do bake Sourdough bread and basic white for the family and I.
Mine is 100% hydration, never had one thinner but for a while I used a stiff starter of 50% hydration.