Sourdough Bread FAILURE!!

[splatgirl]

Re: Sourdough Bread FAILURE!!

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I just had a major fail with whole wheat SD sandwich bread. I must have angered the SD spirits.

Another idea for excess starter is crackers...I almost never buy crackers anymore because homemade is so much tastier and I can put whatever I want into or on them.
Any percentage of starter seems to work, plus any type of flour, the fat of your choice (~25% by bakers percent), salt (1%) and seeds, herbs, etc. If necessary, add enough additional water to get a very stiff dough. Roll out as thin as you can get it and bake ~350 until crisp. Sometimes I have to turn down the oven to 300ish to get them crispy without too much browning.

[texassourdough]

Re: Sourdough Bread FAILURE!!

Probably not enough steam and too short a bake. Turn off the oven when "done" and leave the bread in the oven for an additional ten minutes or so (may need to experiment with time) with the door cracked. Will give a more robust crust.

[EricU]

Re: Sourdough Bread FAILURE!!

Probably not enough steam and too short a bake...Will give a more robust crust.

The last two batches I had forgotten the pan of water. My last batch, I placed my cast iron skillet on the rack one below my rack that holds the baking stone.

My attempt at hot dog buns came out much better tasting and with a nice crust and crumb.

I am now need to work on my timing of my doughs and preferments. And I am looking for a good robust crust and as much "Sour" in my sourdough loaves.

The current dough that I have started used my current healthy SD starter and is going like this:

Day 1) 8:00 PM (Monday 4-25): 200 gms SD starter + 300 gm BF + enough water to make a dough. This was left out on the counter covered overnight in mild Norther California to make the "Firm Starter".

Day 2) 5:00 PM (Tuesday 4-26): added to the 600 gm of "Firm Starter", 350 gm BF + 240 gms water + salt and all kneaded together, covered and let sit on the counter until 9:30 pm at which it had a good doubled in volume. I then transfered to the fridge, where it will sit overnight.



Now my real question as what to do tomorrow, day 3. I will pull out the dough and let it warm for a couple of hours, then should I:

1. Add an equal amount of dough (BF, H2O + Salt) by weight?
2. Add twice as much dough by weight?
3. Add no more new dough?
4. How long should I let the dough sit? At least until it doubles after adding new flour and water?
5. After shaping and proofing, what should I be looking for? Usually I get some expansion of my shaped loaves and then get more expansion (spring?) in the oven.

I kind of feel like I am at a standstill point with my bread knowledge as now I am kind of shot gunning it again as to time and volumes (by weight) of ingredients.

Thanks for any help, Eric.

[texassourdough]

Re: Sourdough Bread FAILURE!!

To be consistent, Eric, you really need to weigh everything in every step. As I have stated before, there are those who have "the touch" who can make great bread without weighing, but so few have this skill that I must assume you don't either.

Your preferment is LONG, way long, even at a cool room temp. And your expansion is low. I add 200 grams of flour and 200 of water to 100 of starter and it peaks in about eight hours. Your stiffer preferment will be slower but unless your starter is half dead it will run out of food way before your 20 hours or so from preferment to making dough.

What you are calling a "firm starter" is NOT. If it is starter it is underfed and overshot. If it is preferment it is underexpanded. Your day 2 expansion is even further underexpanded and underfed. Guess what! Your "starter" isn't ready to do anything. It is half dead! And heavy, dead starter/preferment will yield heavy, dead bread.

You can mess around all you want but if you don't have discipline you will get mediocre results. I have described the bread process on this site many times. I am not going to do it from scratch again!

Normal expansion ratios for sourdoughs at temps from 68 to 78 or so is to go from 100 grams of starter to 500 grams of preferment to 2500 grams of finished dough. You are WAY off!
Jay