Sourdough Starter

[Saunders]

Could it be that your starter is very active, and so you need to only let it rise the first time for fewer hours? Or, alternatively, use less starter?
I have to say I’ve never had a loaf that looks as pretty as the ones people post on here, and rarely had a white only dough that holds its shape without a tin.
I nearly always add things and often use a mixture of flours.

 

[moose]

It's possible, Saunders - maybe have to tweak for the weather.
It's just so nice seeing it rise without having to carry it round the house with me and find ever more random ways to keep it warm in winter (wearing the jar of starter under my jumper, putting the bowl on a warm laptop). It's a shame the end result is a bit flat.

 

[RubyToogood]

Every time I go off-piste and add stuff, it doesn’t rise so well. I wonder what I’m doing wrong this one has poppy seeds but otherwise everything’s the same as usual, but it’s a bit flat.

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At what stage are you adding things? The bread classes I've been going to recommend adding it before the second rise, not right at the beginning.

And yeah, bread that rises well and then goes flat is overproved.

 

[moose]

At what stage are you adding things? The bread classes I've been going to recommend adding it before the second rise, not right at the beginning.

And yeah, bread that rises well and then goes flat is overproved.

 

[moose]

I've added poppy or sesame seeds at the beginning - because I'm doing no-knead, I don't know how I'd mix the seeds in evenly otherwise.

Maybe I'm leaving it too long in the basket - last couple of times it's stuck to the basket, despite loads of flour, and deflated betwixt basket and casserole dish.

Maybe I should stick to yeasted bread in the summer. Anyway, will be interesting to cut into it in the morning and look at the texture.

 

[han]

Maybe I should stick to yeasted bread in the summer. Anyway, will be interesting to cut into it in the morning and look at the texture.

How was it?

 

[moose]

How was it?

Delicious A tad dense, but none the worse for it.

Even my beigels came out a bit flat this week. Don't like summer baking.

 

[han]

Delicious A tad dense, but none the worse for it.

Even my beigels came out a bit flat this week. Don't like summer baking.

Great!

Aw is it the changes in temperature I wonder...

 

[Epona]

I have never done sourdough, but with yeast risen dough there can be a huge difference between winter and summer baking if there is a large difference in ambient temperature. There is like a sweet spot for it.

 

[RubyToogood]

I have never done sourdough, but with yeast risen dough there can be a huge difference between winter and summer baking if there is a large difference in ambient temperature. There is like a sweet spot for it.

I think it's about 24 degrees.

 

[platinumsage]

I've been trying this - made one bread by hand and one in the machine. I'm not sure it's worth the continual faff really, gonna go back to packet yeast.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I've been trying this - made one bread by hand and one in the machine. I'm not sure it's worth the continual faff really, gonna back to packet yeast.

Before I gave up making bread completely because of time I had some success using packet yeast and making a preferment which was a lot less faff.