I've been thinking a lot about my journey with sourdough lately, and listening and talking with others about the challenges they face with sourdough.
I wanted to hop on here today and write a quick post asking you a question: what is holding you back from trying sourdough?
Or maybe you've just begun to try sourdough baking - how is it going for you? Is there anything you are having trouble mastering?
If you've mastered sourdough, what was your biggest hurdle and how did you over come it?
I'd really love to hear your answer. Leave one in the comments below, that way others might see that you are struggling with the same thing, or someone might just be able to help! You are of course also welcome to let me know in an email and leave a comment there.
Details:
Loaf above made with 100% freshly milled spelt, using my everyday recipe which you'll find in my eBook
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Sarah, sourdough baking has been my ambition for the past five or so years. I kept trying, reading lots of info, but usually came out with a loaf that I could build a house with. I put the ambition aside many times, but kept coming back. Then I read Celia's blog, "Fig jam and lime cordial", where her tutorials showed me that there was one major thing I was doing wrong; making what I call a poolish, and getting that sourdough starter really bubbling before mixing my loaf last thing at night. It was so wonderful to instantly make a much better loaf that I can be proud to share. But, I still need more work at getting the correct hydration to create those big holes and bubbly crust. When I make the dough softer with more water it doesn't hold its shape and it produces a flat loaf. So this is where I need help. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sally,
DeleteThanks for your comment and well done for persisting with your sourdough! It's quite addictive once you get the hang of it, isn't it?
My first few loaves were rather brickish too, but I remember I was still proud of then :-)
Celia's blog is fantastic. I have yet to create a bread with a very holey crumb, I'm not sure it's possible on whole grain flour, but I'm super happy with the light airiness I achieve now.
From what I've read on white flour breads, doing a longer fermentation process and proving in the fridge makes the higher hydration dough easier to handle. :-)
I have the same issue that Sally mentioned above - I really want to get that holey result that you can scrape lots of butter into!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Erin! I replied to Sally above about the holey bread :-)
DeleteI can't achieve the holey loaf either!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by Joolz. I've replied above about the holey bread :-)
DeleteI'm giving it another go after a lengthy hiatus. Mu starter should be ready in another few days. I gave up last time due to my loaves being to dense and crumbly, I wasn't able to achieve that light, holey texture.
ReplyDeleteOh how exciting Kat! I started out with dense crumbly loaves too, it's such a good feeling to be making beautiful bread now especially with whole grain flour.
DeleteHave you tried used a higher ratio of starter and perhaps doing less proving? It's some of the things that worked for me :-)
Best of luck with the baking!
The comments above are so interesting Sarah...I will keep reading with interest x
ReplyDeleteThank-you Jane! I'm pretty sure I could talk sourdough all day ;-)
DeleteMy bricks stopped when I found a good quality bread making flour....no holes here either, I will try the fridge method today... keep trying and have fun.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck for lots of holes - let me know how you go! x
DeleteHi Sarah, I have been producing some spectacular flops lately, like flat heavy discs. I have increased the amount of starter and reduced the amount of water but still I have bricks. I know the weather effects the dough, so maybe some proving time in the fridge might be worth a go. I always get so deflated (pardon the pun) when my sourdough loaf does the same. I have had some success and for a while there I was consistently producing lovely boofy loaves, I will keep persisting though, lucky it's a cheap pastime! Flour +water+ time = very little $$ , thank goodness for that. I would be more devastated if I was also wasting hard earned $$. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteFi
Hi Fiona,
DeleteOh dear, it can get a bit depressing when you hit a run of bad bread luck, can't it? My loaves have been sticking to their bannetons lately, but thankfully they recover themselves with the oven spring!
It sounds like maybe your loaves are over proving a bit? I usually swap to some fridge proving at this time of year if I still want a bulk ferment, but it's still cool enough here to be doing a 100% bench prove.
I hope you get your bread sorted! x