Help Convert Recipe to Sourdough?
Hello!
I have this sandwich bread recipe I really like. I've already made some changes to it, including converting it over to 100% sprouted whole wheat flour, and love the loaves it produces. But it uses dry instant yeast.
I have a very healthy, regularly fed, sourdough mother - and while I don't bake sourdough super frequently, I'm not entirely unfamiliar with the process.
I have tried making this recipe using sourdough levain and haven't been super successful. Rather than the light/airy loaves (that I associate with sandwich bread) that I get from the instant yeast, what I'm getting with the sourdough is a much smaller/denser loaf. Tastes good but not at all what I'm looking for.
I think I just don't have the experience/skill to convert this myself. I'm hoping someone with more knowledge here might be able to help me out. Here's my current recipe (using the instant yeast). I need help, obviously, with the amount of sourdough starter to use and the rise times necessary (they'll obviously be longer with the sourdough)... as well as any other adjustments (e.g. reduction in water or flour as a result of using the starter).
Any help much appreciated. Thanks!
- 543g sprouted whole wheat flour
- 39g vital wheat gluten
- 14g dry instant yeast
- 9g salt
- ---------------
- 420g water @ 90-100f
- 54g avocado oil
- 36g honey
- 36g dark molasses
- 12g lemon juice
Mix until well combined using standard dough hook. "Kneed" on low/med speed (this is #4 on my mixer) using spiral hook for 4-5 minutes. Cover & let rest 10 minutes. Turn out, shape, and place in greased loaf pan. Place in oven with light on and let rise 30-40 minutes (fyi - my house/room temp currently is 65-67 degrees). Leave in oven and set to 350f. Once at temp, bake approx 40 minutes (until internal of 190). Remove from loaf pan and cool completely on rack.
1: Take out the yeast.
2: Add in recently fed and matured starter.
3: Adjust the flour and water for however much flour and water there is in the starter. So if you add in 100g starter at 100% hydration, which equals 50g water + 50g water, then reduce the flour and water accordingly. The more you pre-ferment the less time the final dough will take.
4: For this recipe i'd take out the lemon juice as the acidity will come from it being sourdough. I'd say add in 12g water but not so fast. As sourdough ferments it tends to feel higher hydration so it might not be necessary. Hold back on that. It can always be added while mixing if the dough needs it.
5: Follow the same procedure but wait until risen till optimum height. It'll take longer so watch the dough and not the clock.
For Example Only:
543g493g sprouted whole wheat flour14g dry instant yeast420g370g water @ 90-100f12g lemon juice[possibly add in 12g water but only when mixing and if you think the dough needs it]Mix until well combined using standard dough hook. "Kneed" on low/med speed (this is #4 on my mixer) using spiral hook for 4-5 minutes. Cover & let rest 10 minutes. Turn out, shape, and place in greased loaf pan. Place in oven with light on and let rise
30-40 minutesUntil Ready! (fyi - my house/room temp currently is 65-67 degrees). Leave in oven and set to 350f. Once at temp, bake approx 40 minutes (until internal of 190). Remove from loaf pan and cool completely on rack.When I've converted recipes, I found that a lot less starter worked better for me (compared to the relatively large amounts recommended on the web for conversions). That may relate to my using a 100% rye starter, which seems pretty powerful.
and get it risen fast with sprouted flour.
Take Abe's finished starter and then do a 100/100/100g (starter/water/flour) using the recipe flour and water for a two step levain. The second step should rise faster esp. in a warm oven, and as it is doubled, mix in the remaining flour and ingredients. Then knead, give it a 30 min warm rest, shape and pan to final proof as you do in the oven, turning it up to bake.
thanks everyone!!
HI, I've got the same issue. Did any of these suggestions work for you?