hey, folks... new here, just started one up using Rose Beranbaum's "Bread Bible". i've tried a handful of other recipes in there and have had some great success so far (the Ciabatta reciped is AMAZING!) now i'm tackling her Sourdough Starter technique.
thing is, her method seems quite different than others. for one thing, she has you feeding with 1/2 cup of flour to 1/4 cup of water, where most other recipes call for equal amounts. and the transition from getting the starter going (5 day instructions) to starting an actual recipe are kinda weird.
basically, i started with Whole Wheat flour and have been using just regular bread flour for every feeding - and the thing got ROCKING after just a few days, tripling in size after just 3 days. right now the stuff is super sticking and gooey, make it kinda hard to throw out. the smell is moving from a really ripe smelling yougurt to almost a paint smell right now.
according to her recipe, i've just fed it, should now wait for 4 hours, feed it again, let it sit for an hour and the fridge it. then i can convert it to a STIFF starter, adding just 3/4 cup of flour (and no water !). seems like this will be PRETTY damn thick.
so just looking for some advice - based on the smells, does it sounds safe to use? anyone else have this book and try following her recipe closely?
for the record, it's been hovering around a lovely 20C during the day here in Toronto, dipping to single digits over night (we don't bother turning on the heat). so to me conditions seem ideal to me, no? i waited a harsh winter to try this recipe!
cheers...
thing is, her method seems quite different than others. for one thing, she has you feeding with 1/2 cup of flour to 1/4 cup of water, where most other recipes call for equal amounts. and the transition from getting the starter going (5 day instructions) to starting an actual recipe are kinda weird.
basically, i started with Whole Wheat flour and have been using just regular bread flour for every feeding - and the thing got ROCKING after just a few days, tripling in size after just 3 days. right now the stuff is super sticking and gooey, make it kinda hard to throw out. the smell is moving from a really ripe smelling yougurt to almost a paint smell right now.
according to her recipe, i've just fed it, should now wait for 4 hours, feed it again, let it sit for an hour and the fridge it. then i can convert it to a STIFF starter, adding just 3/4 cup of flour (and no water !). seems like this will be PRETTY damn thick.
so just looking for some advice - based on the smells, does it sounds safe to use? anyone else have this book and try following her recipe closely?
for the record, it's been hovering around a lovely 20C during the day here in Toronto, dipping to single digits over night (we don't bother turning on the heat). so to me conditions seem ideal to me, no? i waited a harsh winter to try this recipe!
cheers...
Category:
Replies
[quote=digitalia][snip]
thing is, her method seems quite different than others. for one thing, she has you feeding with 1/2 cup of flour to 1/4 cup of water, where most other recipes call for equal amounts. and the transition from getting the starter going (5 day instructions) to starting an actual recipe are kinda weird.[/quote]
When you say equal amounts, do you mean in volume or weight, because, depending on different flour weights, 1/2 cup flour can be equal to the weight of 1/4 cup water, ie. 100% hydration starter.
[quote=digitalia]
.........
basically, i started with Whole Wheat flour and have been using just regular bread flour for every feeding - and the thing got ROCKING after just a few days, tripling in size after just 3 days. right now the stuff is super sticking and gooey, make it kinda hard to throw out. the smell is moving from a really ripe smelling yougurt to almost a paint smell right now.
.........
[snip]
so just looking for some advice - based on the smells, does it sounds safe to use? anyone else have this book and try following her recipe closely?
[/quote]
I'd keep feeding it....there are some advice here.
basically i guess i need to know what my main goal is for the smell. if it smells edible, and not UNTIL then, is that when it's ready to use?
thanks again for the quick feedback Tech - i see you're very active and helpful on these forums!
Good liuck
Tony
Waht's your favourite bread in T.O?
correct me if i'm wrong but it sounds like: if it doesn't smell like something i'd want to put in my mouth, i shouldn't put it in my dough!
favourite bread in TO? tough call, i usually just cheap out and grab some mini Parisians from Dominion, the odd time pick up something from St Lawrence market. to be honest, since i've made the Ciabattas and Pugliese a few times, most stuff tastes like garbage in comparison! (of course straight out of the oven, barely cooled, is tough to top).
the best Sourdough i've had in awhile has to be the ones they serve at the Beer Bistro. if my first batch tastes half as good, i'll be happy.
i'll keep you posted on my progress, but wishing i took some pics a few days ago, that's when my brew was most active.
[quote=digitalia][snip]
thing is, her method seems quite different than others. for one thing, she has you feeding with 1/2 cup of flour to 1/4 cup of water, where most other recipes call for equal amounts. and the transition from getting the starter going (5 day instructions) to starting an actual recipe are kinda weird.[/quote]
When you say equal amounts, do you mean in volume or weight, because, depending on different flour weights, 1/2 cup flour can be equal to the weight of 1/4 cup water, ie. 100% hydration starter.
[/quote]
just realized i didn't address this... looking online at other recipes now say to use equal volumes of flour and water. still, consistancy is very gooey, i'm thinking all is well?
1/4 C water + 1/2 C flour will be of a thick cream consistency whereas an equal volume of each will give a more liquid mix which when stored for a period of time will see more hooch at the top. But, both (and other combos) work, really. You should get used to working with goo....
BTW, my white starter smells mildly sweet and like a light beer, while, my rye starter smells sweeter like a very fruity wine. *Sssshhlurp*. However, a word of caution on starter-sniffing....some give off so much gas etc...that it can hit you hard.
Like too much wasabi!!
Cheers,
Tony
i'm wondering if this is safe to use now - not going to get back over 20C in the near future. Rose's next steps in the Bible are to add about 3/4 cup of flour to make a stiff starter and then get going on a recipe. does that sound like a good plan?
or should i just fridge these bad boys and wait for warmer weather?
IMO, if your starter is bubbly and the volume doubles (at least) in 2 - 8 hrs, then it's green light to go.
Good Luck
Tony
IMO, if your starter is bubbly and the volume doubles (at least) in 2 - 8 hrs, then it's green light to go.
[/quote]
hey, teck... problem is the thing isn't expanding AT ALL any more. not crazy and spongey like it was last week (maybe should've used it then?)
what you are describing could relate to the temperature, but could also relate to what I have seen myself with a wholewheat starter. The starter goes crazy in the first few days - though smells fairly cheesy, or even unpleasant. Then it all goes deathly quiet, and you think that something really bad has happened. Then if you stick it out and keep refreshing, it will establish itself, and settle to a pleasant smell, and reliable behaviour.
What I think happens is that wholemeal flour has heaps of yeast (and bacteria) on the outside of the grains, and this hasn't been sifted out. So when you first start to refresh, these bugs go wild. But they aren't the right ones for good sourdough, and they don't establish a nice symbiosis. With time and persistence the right bugs will set up shop and start doing their thing.
Have a look at this very old thread - my experiments in starter creation
http://sourdough.com.au/forum/topic/54
cheers
Dom
Tony - tried you're oven-light technique and BAM, back to life! i didn't think it would work, but you're right, ideal temp.
i used the one, which was kind of watery comparted to the other, as the base of a "sponge" in one of Rose's more basic recipes. turned out awesome! sort of a half-assed sourdough but it went nice with cheeses, raw veggies and a dark red wine tonight :)
I set up the other to be a "stiff starter" that i want to get going next weekend and make a REAL Sourdough. will let you know how that goes.
peace!