The sourdough Starter Thread

[Bren In Pots]

Newton I'd the dough is wetter than my usual dough mix using fresh yeast.
Just wondering was your Tea towel linen because that's the best fabric to use, plus you could try a mix of flour and semolina see if that helps stop it sticking.

[sir david]

ok folks I have been reading this thread and thinking about having a go but it does seem a bit of a faff . So is it worth it
First issue I live in france and they do flour a bit different here
I was thinking of using my usual T80 organic flour
Second I usually cook 1 kg of flour at a time twice or three times a week Usually making two loaves ( one for now one for the freezer to eat after the first is finished
is this enough time to keep the stuff going in the fridge ?
Thirdly How many people have managed to keep this going ?

David

[Newton]

Firstly.......use t55 flour......I was given some by a local Restauranteur. Wish we could get it here.

Two or three times a week........sourdough is perfect.......your starter will keep in the fridge just fine.....

Thirdly......I have......it's 18 years old but I've only had it a month! Since its been around thoudpsands of years......I expect millions have managed to keep it going.......

Get going!

[Bren In Pots]

I've had my starter from the beginning of this thread baking with it a couple of times a week using 500g of flour for each loaf.
It only seems a faff at the start but you soon find you can fit it in just like baking using yeast and anyway I love the taste of the finished loaf so to me its worth it.

[nannychicken]

I'd just like to share my sourdough starter story: returning from a few days holiday recently, and having left a perfect starter sitting on the worktop, I was thinking of getting a loaf started - though have to say I was feeling ill after a dodgy meal. Added to which my daughter and family announced they'd be round for a roast dinner shortly. I quickly shook the starter as it had separated a little in the kilner jar, closed the lid and put it up on the top shelf of the pantry out of the way for the time being. Within seconds, the jar had exploded, releasing my beautiful batter over the contents of the pantry and later over the kitchen floor as we desperately tried to catch it and clean up. After serving the roast to the rest of them, I went to bed! Hoping to do better this time.

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine nannyChicken

I've heard about starters escaping from their jars but not one making that much mess

[RedThorn]

Just glad it did not explode in you hands!

[BarleySugar]

Woken up my starter. I froze it before going to Abu Dhabi last August, defrosted it yesterday and fed it today. Bubbling nicely, looking forward to making a loaf soon

[Bren In Pots]

I've got some starter in the freezer for 'just in case' hopefully I'll never need it but it's good to know that it soon wakes up again, enjoy your loaf

[joyceybabe]

Am just starting to experiment with sourdough bread and have read through all 50 pages with great interest. I have made bread for years (ordinary wholemeal with either fresh yeast or dried - by hand and latterly in a breadmaker). I purchased some starter off ebay (San Fransisco starter) and have made one loaf so far. I was a bit dissappointed with the texture of the crumb. Was rather like the texture of crumpets - a bit tough and holey if that makes sense! Is this normal? I baked it in a dutch oven. The crust was extremely hard and crunchy but the crumb was nothing like bread as I know it. Tasted good though!

[Sylvan]

This is the recipe I'm going to be following :-

HFW Sourdough

Bren, the link no longer works. Do you have the recipe please?

[Bren In Pots]

Sylvan the same recipe is here :-

Bread with character: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipes for sourdough | Life and style | The Guardian

[Bren In Pots]

Joyceybabe it might be down to your oven temp, I bake mine at 240c in a fan oven for 30mins then 10mins with the lid removed.

[joyceybabe]

Thanks Bren
I heated the oven to it's highest temp and it is a fan oven then put the bread in. Baked it exactly as you described too. Having another go tomorrow. Nothing wrong with the flavour but texture of crumb really tough

[joyceybabe]

Just read the HFW recipe and he describes the texture as rubbery. I quote "This bread has an elastic, ever-so-slightly-rubbery-but-in-a-really-good-way crumb and a proper, crisp, crunchy, robust crust." Is this normal cos that is probably how I would describe mine?