June 24, 2015 - 5:30am
starter / yeast: are they alternatives ?
I've managed bread in a machine and occasionally in the oven: all using yeast. Now I've made a sourdough starter because I like the taste of sourdough bread. It's a couple of weeks old and after a hesitant start it seems to have pulled itself together, perhaps with the warmer weather and the warmer water I've been giving it.
I'm seeing recipes which ask for yeast and a sourdough starter (sometimes a 'ferment'). I'd thought these were alternatives. Is the sourdough only there for flavour ?
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You can make a pure sourdough leavened loaf or a pure (commercial) yeasted one, or a mix of both. I've added a little bit of an organic commercial yeast into some of my sourdough breads in the past when I was in a hurry - you get some sourdough taste and texture from the starter, but not as "full bodied" nor with all the keeping qualities, but for a quick fix I think it's OK.
I've used sourdough starter in an overnight pre-ferment (poolish/sponge) then used yeast in the main recipe - e.g. for baguettes and ciabatta. A bit of both worlds and great for bread that's going to be eaten that day.
There are those (myself included) who will argue that a "true" sourdough loaf doesn't have any commercial yeast in it though. e.g. read: http://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/sourdough/
-Gordon
Thank you. - and for the link.
I never use any commercial yeast and can't see any reason too. But notably Peter Reinhart often calls for
"spiking" a sourdough with commercial yeast.
So does Ken Forkish (Chapter 9).