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sourdough experiments

Experiments with smaller amount of starter and longer rise to get better flavour 2017-8: tried both 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup, both ended up overproofed/flat but with great flavour. In future, need to either watch like a hawk or try retarding in fridge.


Mar 2018 (hot weather) with a preferment:

mix 1 cup starter, 1 cup plain white and 1 cup water, cover and leave overnight (afternoon to next morning, ~18hrs).

Then make standard no-knead dough with remaining ingredients (used 1 cup wholemeal, 1/2 cup light rye). Result at this stage: looks a bit wet/loose. Cover and rise till high in bowl but still domed.

Result of 1st rise: dough still slack/wet, but did hold up as a boule for a 40 min second rise.

Baked 45min/15min.

Outcome: edible, but very flat.


Jan 2019 minestrone bread, attempting an autolyse phase for a couple hours beforehand per https://www.bakerybits.co.uk/resources/autolyse-what-why-how/

I used just the flour and water from a standard recipe, which was stiff and dry and fell afoul of this advice I should have noted "The exception to the no yeast rule is when a recipe calls for a starter with a high water content. Mixing only the flour and water here would result in a dry mixture with too little water to hydrate the flour completely". Mixture very stretchy, did not want to accept other ingredients mixed in. Baking result tba.