Hi everybody!
I just took my rye SD bread out of the oven a half an hour ago and it tastes too sour. I've tasted the SD and I know it's supposed to be sour, but how sour is too sour when it comes to the bread and is there any solution to make it less sour?
Oh, and my bread is full of cracks on the sides. The oven was pre-heated to the max, there was a pan of boiling water in it, the crust is ok, the crumb is a bit moist but then again the bread has not fully cooled off.
If anybody could help me with some advice I'd really appreciate it.
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Hi Rocco, I'm very much a beginner too (just pulled my fourth loaf out of the oven) but from my reading and the over-sour 2nd loaf I made it sounds like your starter was past it's peak when you used it
I also think you've cut it too early, I understand it should be completely cool before it's cut. I find that bit hard too!
Rocco would you post your formula and steps you took to make this bread. Someone would be able to help you then. Right now we can just give you wild guesses.
Well,
I used
1200 g rye flour
460 g wheat bread flour
480 g rye starter (it had the consistency of pancake batter) - I found the sourdough/flour ratio on a German sourdough site. They said 200 g starter/500g flour.
3 small teaspoons of salt
water (the final consistency of my bread was that of a "normal" yeast bread. Like a firm buttock LOL. Medium hydration I suppose.)
I kneaded the dough until smooth, left it 45 mins covered to rest, then kneaded it again on oiled surface. One half I made a boule out of, the other one I made into a loaf which I put into a metal shape. I left the dough rise for hours and hours since it went slowly. When the loaf doubled in size I cut it in with a sharp knife (it deflated a bit). Then I put it in the oven (temp to the max, hot water pan) and baked it for 50 mins. I lowered the temp twice after15 - 20 mins (200C then 180C). I took the bread out of the oven when it sounded hollow.
As for the starters (1 rye and one white bread flour)
they smell constantly the same. The taste is the same (sour).
I keep them in a warm place and feed them every 24 hrs in between and every 12 hrs when I plan on baking. When I feed them every 12 hrs they have many fine bubbles. I don't throw any of it away before feeding if there is still enough room for in to rise in the jar.
Next time I'm following a recipe in order to be able to notice more precisely what is going on. I'm going to post the pictures on my blog because I can't seem to figure out how to put them in here. Please look at them and tell me what you think.
Thanks,
Rocco
My starter contains cumin (a teaspoon to a 1-and-1 starter) which helps control the sour a little. When it gets too sour, I add more cumin at the next feeding, the amount depending on the size of the starter. What I understand is the rye will make it more sour, too. Maybe reduce or eliminate the rye in your starter.
As for the really sour bread - toast it then slather it with some sweet butter and cinnamon sugar! Yum!
Thanks, I'll try that!
:)
When I use a long fermentation the bread is very sour. Some people like it, I don't. I use a larger amount of fresh active starter, a warmer environment like the oven with the light on in the winter (90 deg) and two T of sugar which produces a less sour loaf. Also starters are different, The one I use is the San Francisco starter from sourdo.com. I have made my own in the past and it was very active had a nice rise but a funky flavor. My recipe takes 3 hours first proof, three hour second proof, then baking. From start to finish it takes 24 hours to activate the starter, mix the dough, two risings and baking. this works for me as I finish just before dinner. Play with the length of proof and amount of starter and you will find the process that makes the bread the way you like it.