I haven't posted for a while so here's an update.
Yogi has matured into a very nice starter. Smells yeasty and remains active.
I attempted my first sourdough loaf the other day and ended up with a brick. The taste is lovely but it's destined to be reborn as tasty breadcrumbs.
Perhaps my mistake was to treat the dough as I do yeast bread dough. It's quite different. The way the natural yeast works produces a dough that is delicate so a gentle touch is required past the initial kneading and rise.
Now that I'm better informed, attempt number 2 is on it's way. I'll let you know how this one goes.
19 March 2011
10 March 2011
SDJ - day 12
Well, I do believe that Hooch has died and gone to heaven. He is smelling decidedly rank now and no action except for a few tired bubbles. Hope the worms appreciate his remains.
Yogi is still smelling yeasty and froths. I expected a little more action though. He probably increases by about 50% in the 24 hour period. Perhaps I need to feed him more often now?
Yogi is still smelling yeasty and froths. I expected a little more action though. He probably increases by about 50% in the 24 hour period. Perhaps I need to feed him more often now?
08 March 2011
Collapsing dough
I'm still struggling with my dough being too soft to hold it's shape and little or no oven spring.
I really do think that I'm allowing too long for proof at each stage and indeed, my recent reading indicates that the time it takes for the double rise in the first sponge indicates how long the preparation should take up to baking the loaf. So, if my initial rise is 6 hours, then bulk proof, kneading, shaping. and all the mini rests in between should be about this time or even a little less.
I timed my sponge at about 5 hours to doubling. I let it continue for an extra hour and found that the sponge had collapsed at the 6 hour point. So, to my thinking, the much longer proof times that recipes have been telling me to use has done nothing except exhaust the dough. It becomes very wet and difficult to handle and there's no capacity for oven rise.
I really do think that I'm allowing too long for proof at each stage and indeed, my recent reading indicates that the time it takes for the double rise in the first sponge indicates how long the preparation should take up to baking the loaf. So, if my initial rise is 6 hours, then bulk proof, kneading, shaping. and all the mini rests in between should be about this time or even a little less.
I timed my sponge at about 5 hours to doubling. I let it continue for an extra hour and found that the sponge had collapsed at the 6 hour point. So, to my thinking, the much longer proof times that recipes have been telling me to use has done nothing except exhaust the dough. It becomes very wet and difficult to handle and there's no capacity for oven rise.
05 March 2011
SDJ - day 5
Yogi is increasing in volume and smells lovely and yeasty now. He didn't double over the 24 hour period, but is likely to soon.
Hootch is not doing anything much. Still producing hootch and the alcohol smell just about knocks me over.
Hootch is not doing anything much. Still producing hootch and the alcohol smell just about knocks me over.
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