First time forum-er

I wouldn't be able to offer you first-hand experience on making my own starter, but, it would help those who try to help you with further info...

1. What is the amount of flour/water you add?

2. What water do you use? What flour?

When feeding starters, it's helpful to introduce air to the yeasties with vigorous stirring. By the way, it's not the organisms from the grapes you're after, but the ones from the flour...

Have to nip out for a while, will check in later....

Hi again.

A good place to start. Then there are lots of tempting recipes in the Recipe Section. Just give a shout if you hit a broken link, or, need more detailed instructions.

TP

Hi Cass,
Welcome, I don't think others get rid of their starters, they just use it a lot! Then feed them to get back in order!
Do browse and meet all the great bakers here!

Hey where is everybody?

Hi Cass, I make an 80g build with 8g of starter every time.   That's the amount I keep alive.  It seems to work.  I keep this ratio all the time - 100g starter becomes 1000g, etc.  With rye bases, I generally cut the starter in half - so 4g of starter gets elaborated into 80g, etc.  Hope this helps.

Tony

When you re-fresh, do you remove part of the starter?
The flour eventually breaks down to a gooey mess and has to be replaced. 
The goo still has yeast & bacterial organisms in it, but because the gluten's broken down, there is no structure.
It should look like a stringy sponge. I'd suggest you remove almost all of the goo (except about half a cupful) and add water and flour in a ratio of 1 water to 1 and 1/2 bread flour.
Add the water first and mix well, then add the flour and mix well and let the whole lot stand. If you've had ot for 3 weeks, you should have enough yeast in it. It should froth and swell in volume to double within 6-12 hours. It should be stringy.
I keep mine in the fridge and refresh about once a week.
I use it 24 hours after refreshment.

Cass, is it possible for you to snap a picture of the crumb?

[quote=cass]I've made my first tentative steps into actual baking, having nurtured my starter into life over the last month.
It came out looking and smelling the real deal, with a nice crunchy crust and a hollow-sounding, floury base.
Unfortunately it was a bit too dense in the middle, as if it needed 15 minutes or so more in the oven. I'm wondering if this could be because of proving times?? I let the dough prove for about 3 hours from when I first kneaded it in the morning to when I shaped it into a boule. Should I extend this or am I going wrong somewhere else?
[/quote]

Roughly, the dough is bulk-fermented for 3 hours (with fold and turns in between), then checked to see 'the webwork', shaped, then proved for another 2, 3 hours or retarded overnight in the fridge. Where does your 3 hours fall in?

Cass,
leave the bread dough after shaping prove longer for the sourdough to do its work.

Check out this thread and [url=http://sourdough.com.au/?q=forum/topic/1156#comment-8586]POST[/url]

While its not the only way to make sourdough bread, it encompasses the basics in terms of time frames, basic proportions, etc.
I'm sure if you give it more time to prove it'll improve the baked result.

Good Luck! 

Hi Cass.
I'm no authority, but I'll have a go at being helpful! Let me know what you decided to do and what the ourcomes were.

I don't know what your ambient temperatures are. The colder the temperature, the slower the rise.
I live in Alice Springs and during the summer, temp is usually high 30's, occasionally low 40's and dry.The inside of the house is about 5 degrees cooler at least.
My bulk proving times (during summer) usually run at 4-6 hours, then another 2-3 hours after shaping.
From what you describe, it sounds as though you might be under-proving a bit. When you poke the loaves lightly with your finger, they should indent and feel puffy and take at least 15 seconds to spring back.
The dough closest to the crust rises first, because it's closer to the heat source. The worst-case is when you get a bubble under the crust, which domes up in the oven, while the rest of the crumb looks collapsed.
My suggestion: let it prove a bit longer - say 4-6 hours bulk fermentation,
and let the loaves prove for 2-3 hours (or longer in the fridge - let them de-chill for an hour initially, then maybe another hour or 2 if not adequately risen).

[quote=TeckPoh]
Roughly, the dough is bulk-fermented for 3 hours (with fold and turns in between), then checked to see 'the webwork', shaped, then proved for another 2, 3 hours or retarded overnight in the fridge. Where does your 3 hours fall in?
[/quote]

Oops. My bad. I failed to say these times are more suitable for my tropical temperatures of 27-29 deg C.

I have to say my first prove is often longer than many - I'll usually allow 6 - 7 hours during the day, or overnight 8 - 9 hours.  I find even if it overproves a bit on the first rise, it's usually fine on the second.  My tribe like the loaves with longer rises actually - I find it improves the flavour.  Some people say the longer rise leads to a gluey texture, but I've never had that problem.

Just FWIW.  :)

Look forward to seeing your photos !

Cheers, Celia

Hard to believe that's your first loaf, Cass, it looks great.  Starter is looking very healthy...

Since your image is already online, just click on the image icon and insert the url, like so:

Your image I posted yesterday is now missing....

Let's give Maedi a call.

I've had a look at the code in both your posts which is correct. I think Blogger doesn't allow hotlinking which means images can't be put on other sites. You can use the Gallery if you'd like, there's a tutorial here.

I'm not sure why TP's did a disappearing act. The image could be seen initially?

 It was there yesterday...at least on my monitor.

 It worked! It worked! Beautiful slashwork there.