Success!

I finally managed an edible loaf.  There's still some work to be done with technique and I didn't manage any oven spring, but the loaf is edible but not photogenic.

In the mean time, I have ordered a commercial starter, a lame and a banneton.  It will be interesting comparing how the two starters taste and perform.  Exciting....

Starter Revived

Well it took a couple of days, but I now have a viable sourdough starter.  It was the pineapple juice that did it.

SDJ - day 25

Another 2 sets of sourdough bricks have been produced using 2 different recipes and methods of proofing and shaping the dough.  It's so disappointing. 

It's time to take stock.  I now think that my starter is not as active as it should be and I'm experimenting with 3 different ways of reviving it.  No, reviving is not the right word.  The starter needs to be strengthened.  It just doesn't perform as it should.  The initial rise is very slow and not at all vigorous.  The dough becomes very liquid and virtually impossible to shape and retain any form.

• Starter version 2.1 is enjoying a feeding of a little rye flour.
• Starter version 2.2 will be fed some pineapple juice.
• Starter version 2.3 has consumed some grapes.

Now that I have read more, I do think I was hasty to discard Hooch.  Too late now!  My interpretation of the feeding instructions was actually starving the starters. I thought "Equal flour and water" meant by volume, but it's actually by weight which is a big difference.  Also, you can develop your starter using small amounts of ingredients and stay fairly small until you are reaching the stage of using the starter in a batch of bread.  Live and learn....

SDJ - day 21

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.