I have just bought the book Wild Sourdough by Yoke Mardewi. This week end my 12 yearold grandson Tom is coming to stay, to bake bread and to learn about sourdough.The authors method of making a starter is a bit vague "Mix a ratio of 1.25 - 1.5 of water to flour, leave to ferment in a warm spot for 2 - 3 days until bubbles appear. Then refresh it with more flour and water every day after. Within a week you should have a live culture" How much water and flour?
I have tried sourdough bread without much success, but Tom is keen and I want to get it right. I have e mailed the author, but as now I have not received a reply.
Can anyone help? Thank you.Valmai
Replies
A photo in the book opposite the description shows a very milky (fluid) starter which looks to be at least 1:1, and possibly has more water than flour. This could be an ongoing active starter (rather than your 1st, in-process starter) which Yoke suggests should be 1:1.
Basically, any or all of the above water/flour ratios should work for getting a starter going. A starter-in-process with more liquid than flour will need frequent stiring to stop it separating...until it starts fermenting and doesn't separate anymore.
I think that Yoke is probably suggesting more flour than water, partly to produce a more stable mix that won't seperate as easily.
The suggested '1 week' to make a working starter is very optimistic. Experiences on this web site suggest that 2-3 weeks is more likely. I think that Tom will be getting to spend more time at your place or looking after a new pet when he goes home.
Yoke's book was given to me a few months ago. I have not looked through it intensely but have noticed that longer bulk fermentation is not a big part of the recipes. Shorter bulk fermentation makes for a longer rise in the tins/forms.
My own preference is for longer (2-5 hours, rather than 30 minutes) fermentation after the dough has been mixed, and a shorter (or long/cool) rise in the tins/forms. Each to their own!
Well done Yoke for getting a book out!
Graham
I also recently bought Yoke's book and also found the information on starting the starter vague. So I just figured I'd start with 100g of flour as I would be adding the same amount each day for the week. Most of the recipes seem to use somewhere between 150-300g of starter so I guessed that I'd have enough and some left over to keep adding to each day.
The page on tips and tricks (55) is excellent and something I refer to often.
So far I've made:- crusty semolina sourdough (a favourite already)- pain au levain (which I think I let ferment/rise too long - but the family still liked it!)- sourdough sandwich loaf (most excellent for school lunches)- quinoa spelt sourdough (it was too wet but I could tell it would be delicious - I didn't have any spelt wholemeal flour and had just used spelt white)- millet sourdough (this one is resting as I type)- spelt sourdough casalinga bread (I think my favourite)- fig and walnut sourdough (which I turned into a raisin and cinnamon loaf instead)- sourdough ciabatta (which I've done with olives and rosemary)
I started making the breads after a week but am wondering now (due to earlier comments) that I should have waited longer.
It's also quite cold here at the moment and I'm wondering if that's having a bigger impact than I initially suspected (dough taking quite a long time to rise and also, when I do free form loaves they're spreading too wide while resting so the resulting loaf is a bit flat).
Anyway, I'm just loving the whole process and they're just such wonderful doughs to work with - the elasticity and texture are just so rewarding.
I emailed Yoke to try to get some clarification on the starter, but although she replied after a couple of days and a re-send from me, the instructions remained pretty vague.
kim-at-allconsuming, I'm thinking perhaps you're in Perth, as I am? It has indeed been colder than the ideal starter-initiating temperatures according to my research on the web. So far, I haven't managed to get a starter going at all. Since you have obviously managed to do so (having tried a number of Yoke's recipes), I'd be interested in knowing in detail how you got your starter happening, if you don't ,mind sharing that here.
I'm currently following Graham's instructions for beginning a cold-temperature doughball starter, and am looking foward to that happy day when I finally have a starter of any type ready so I can begin baking!
While I live in hope of the doughball coming good, it would also be great to hear the experiences of someone who has succeeded in getting a liquid starter going in cooler temperatures.
Cheers
Ross
Hello all..
Yes, i too have had a similar experience with Yokes book! I was drawn to the lovely photos, but found some of the info a little vague.
My rye starter is 1:1.5 (flour/water) which makes a lovely mousse-like mixture.
Yoke suggested that a 100% rye starter is the best 'all rounder' and makes for lovely loaves! I would have to agree!
smells soooo good! Sadly, I had to let mine (started by Dan Lepard), because I hardly baked with rye. Looking back, that was a pretty silly thing to do.
Went to one of Yoke's classes. I really enjoyed it and think it is well worth doing if you can.
Organic whole rye flour is the best to make the starter (I think it is because it does not go gooey as easily)
75g flour to 125g water in a container
leave in warm place 2-3 days
feed 50g rye flour and 75g water for next 2 days stirring well
within a week you should have live culture.
I have not made a starter from scratch as we got a batch to bring home to feed. I have had it for over 3 months now and find it easy to maintain. Basically I have about 175g starter, use 150g and to remaining container(tupperware type), add 60g rye flour and 90g filtered water, mix vigorously and put in the fridge door with a lid loosely on top.
I bake 3 times a week even though I work, so it is not hard. Our favourite is the pizza recipe, but I cut the dough into about 20 ciabatta rolls (heavily seeded with sesame seeds) and bake at 230 deg for about 15 mins.
Our whole family get very bloated eating regular bread, but can eat this without any problems at all, and it is absolutely delicious toasted with jam or promite and cheese.