The sourdough Starter Thread

[Snoop Puss]

Brilliant. Thanks. And do you slash it while it's still in the basket? I presume so, as the basket would hold the dough in place rather than the slash marks allowing the dough to spread.

I shall give this a try at the weekend. Meanwhile, I'll keep an eye out for something I can adapt as a basket.

[Bren In Pots]

Snoop I slash it in the Dutch oven that and the basket are the same size. 10 inch across. I suppose with them being a similar size it doesn't really make a difference when I do the slashing.
Hope you find a basket.

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, Bren. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Mr Bones]

Fed our starter tonight - ready to make pizza tomorrow . Did try an overnight poolish a few times but found the dough just too sticky to handle.

[Bren In Pots]

Mr Bones I'm not sure if this counts as a poolish but this way works for me.
The night before I add just half my flour to the water and starter, next morning the rest of the flour and salt.

[Mr Bones]

Mr Bones I'm not sure if this counts as a poolish but this way works for me.
The night before I add just half my flour to the water and starter, next morning the rest of the flour and salt.

That's how I do poolish too Bren. My own fault the pizza dough is sticky, instead of working and folding I just bung it in the breadmaker and leave for the day (tends to be a meal for when we'll be out for most of the day). Always turns out ok though

[Bren In Pots]

Mr Bones I find sourdough a lot more forgiving than yeast dough, how was your pizza?

[Mr Bones]

Mr Bones I find sourdough a lot more forgiving than yeast dough, how was your pizza?

It was a 1/3 to 2/3 wholemeal to white flour, the dough tended to shrink back after shaping so we had to be fairly quick with the topping but it rose nicely in the oven (just enough and not too much) and tasted great

[Snoop Puss]

Do you use a strong wholemeal flour, Mr B?

[Mr Bones]

Do you use a strong wholemeal flour, Mr B?

It's Doves Farm organic strong wholemeal bread flour (quoting off the packet.. )

[Snoop Puss]

It's Doves Farm organic strong wholemeal bread flour (quoting off the packet.. )

Thanks. I will give this a go at the weekend.

[Mr Bones]

Just because we like to see each others loaves. Yesterdays loaf (all white).

[Bren In Pots]

A nice looking loaf Mr Bones

I do that same X cut it seems to really open up the loaf.

[Snoop Puss]

A somewhat explosive loaf, Dan Lepard's mill loaf (mostly white bread flour with a bit of wholewheat and whole rye).





Also, I have a question about sourdough crumpets. I never have any discard, so I'm having to make up a starter. All the recipes I've seen talk about using unfed discard. So what would you do? Make up a preferment and just leave it for longer? Or just make up a liquid preferment and bung in some bicarb when it's ready, like all the recipes say?

[Mr Bones]

Can't help on the discards question Snoop but wanted to say what a fantastic looking loaf . Lovely lame work