Dough not rising. Weak starter?

Anonymous

I feel like my starter is active, but my dough is not rising at all.  As you can see in this picture, the dough just turns into a puddle on the baking pan after proofing for 16 hours.  Also attached is a picture of the starter.  It has bubbles, but maybe it is not active enough.  It quickly develops a liquid layer on the top.  I have tried using a light bulb in a cabinet to hold the temperature at 70-80 deg F.  But, the dough turned out the same way before and after.  I grew this starter from scratch over a period of 6 days.  Can anybody tell what I am doing wrong?

Based on browsing of other posts, I think I will just try feeding the starter for another 5-10 days.  Maybe it will become more active.

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farinam's picture
farinam 2016 January 14

Hello anonymous,

I recommend that you read, absorb and follow the advice given in the beginners blogs by SourDom that are accessible from the home page (house symbol on the top banner) in the right hand column.

Without  more details of what you have been doing thus far it is hard to be specific but from the photo of the starter and your description I would think that it is not really active enough at this stage.

Similarly for the dough, but 16 hours at 70-80F would likely be enough to have any gluten break down and result in a slack dough with the collapse of any rise that had occurred.  The  lack of rise that you mention would also tend to suggest that your starter is not really active.

So, go to SourDom and follow his advice and I think you will soon be on the way to acquiring a serious sourdough addiction.

Good luck with your projects and let us know how you go.

Farinam

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