Today is the day for sour dough 1st attempt

[Theron Hall]

I'm giving my starter it's first chance. It's been 12 days and it appears too be very active with lots of bubbles.
I'm using the Alex French Guy Cooking YouTube series as my guide.
Wish me luck!

 

[Theron Hall]

Here is a shot of my starter in a bowl followed by starter I activated.
I put it in the oven with the light on for 3 hours and these pictures show one hour, two hours, and three hours.
I believe I have a great starter. It is currently 11 days old.

It is currently in a dough mixture 1 part starter, 2 parts water, 2 parts bread flour and 1 part wheat flour.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Looks good. Keep us posted

 

[Theron Hall]

I sure will! In the meantime, here's a loaf of NOT sour dough I made between the process of sour dough. There's another in the oven now.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I sure will! In the meantime, here's a loaf of NOT sour dough I made between the process of sour dough. There's another in the oven now.

Beautiful! You're a baker obsessed like me! Three Cheers to that!

 

[Theron Hall]

I had my first go at the "slap and fold" method of kneading wet dough.
It went ok, I think.
Then began the long first proof.
The first photo is after one hour and the next photo is at 2 hours.
Its looking like the 4 hours the video suggest won't happen. It will over flow before then.
Must be the warmth and humidity in my kitchen.

 

[ChesterV]

Sour dough is my FAVORITE bread!!!!!

Mmmmmmm

 

[Theron Hall]

I'm trying to keep the thread going like a step by step documentary.
I hope it doesn't bore any one.
I figured if I do it in a step by step process and document it. It could help others or help me to figure out if I make a mistake, where I went wrong.
The first picture is after three hours rising.
When I turned it onto the table. And the structure was phenomenal! It looked like lots of brown threads tangled together. I should have taken a picture of that.
The next picture is of it in a tight dough ball after being worked with light flouring.
I now have it covered with plastic wrap on the counter.

 

[Theron Hall]

Sell its been kneaded again, just like the video and is proofing upside down in the refrigerator for the evening.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Ok, so the big bake is on for tomorrow!

 

[ninamari]

I'm with Chester, sourdough is my absolute favorite bread too!

Thank you for sharing with us Theron! I hope your big bake today goes really good

 

[Theron Hall]

Thanks!
I baked all day yesterday, so I promised my wife and son something fun today. The sour dough will have to wait until evening.

 

[Theron Hall]

This morning I decided I had way too much starter kicking around.
I watched some YouTube and decided pancakes were the answer.
I added 2t of baking powder, 1T canola oil, 2 eggs, 1/3c sugar, 2t vanilla extract, and 3/4c milk to approximately 3 cups of starter. Then I added all purpose flour until it resembled pancake batter.
It was very different. Sweet and sour pancakes. This bread is going to really have some sour notes in the flavor profile.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

This morning I decided I had way too much starter kicking around.
I watched some YouTube and decided pancakes were the answer.
I added 2t of baking powder, 1T canola oil, 2 eggs, 1/3c sugar, 2t vanilla extract, and 3/4c milk to approximately 3 cups of starter. Then I added all purpose flour until it resembled pancake batter.
It was very different. Sweet and sour pancakes. This bread is going to really have some sour notes in the flavor profile.

Yes, sourdough starter can be a wild animal in need of taming. There are ways to get around the acidity problem to achieve a much more elegant and subtle flavor.


Here's a few of my favorite bread resources. You may find them helpful.


Tartine Bread cookbook by Chad Robertson. Robertson is the foremost bread expert in the country.


https://www.theperfectloaf.com/sourdough-starter-maintenance-routine/


https://www.theperfectloaf.com/beginners-sourdough-bread/


https://www.theperfectloaf.com/best-sourdough-recipe/


http://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/sourdough-pain-naturel/


http://www.weekendbakery.com/articles-index/

 

[Theron Hall]

Thank you! I'll check those resources out.

I pulled out as the video suggested from the refrigerator, and it was practically glued to the towel. Getting it out ruined the proof that occurred slowly over night in the refrigerator.
So I cut it into two dough balls kneaded them again, and let them rise on the counter. I'm just about to transfer them to the oven.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Thank you! I'll check those resources out.

I pulled out as the video suggested from the refrigerator, and it was practically glued to the towel. Getting it out ruined the proof that occurred slowly over night in the refrigerator.
So I cut it into two dough balls kneaded them again, and let them rise on the counter. I'm just about to transfer them to the oven.

Oh dear...sadly we have all been there. But really these challenges are the best teachers.

Good kneading and shaping technique will help with those sticky issues. It is critical that the skin not be torn during kneading. Once it's torn, the sticky interior is exposed. That causes it to stick to everything it comes in contact with.

Below are links to a couple of videos you may find helpful.

The first video demonstrates correct kneading technique. Too many videos show the wrong technique. The technique in this video is the way I was taught to knead dough by the head baker of an artisan bakery. It's all about rolling, not smashing and pushing. Once I adopted this method I went from using a cup of flour to less than a quarter cup to knead dough.


Watch the instructor--not the student.


http://www.kingarthurflour.com/videos/bread-101-basic-white-bread-kneading-techniques


This second video is produced by The San Francisco Baking Institute. They're one of the top baking schools in the nation. Since it's from a baking school the instructions are extremely clear. The instructor mentions being careful not to break that skin. Even in high hydration dough, which is very sticky, it's still important to preserve the integrity of the skin.

 

[Theron Hall]

Lol. I watched both of those videos before I attempted this bread.

I baked them both in little dutch ovens and here they are!

Honestly the house smelled of something like vinegar all while they baked. I'm beginning to suspect that this sour dough may be to sour for my liking. But we'll see soon enough.

 

[Theron Hall]

And the verdict is in. The flavor does not impart notes as sour as the scent that came from the oven.
And what are your thoughts on the crumb?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

And the verdict is in. The flavor does not impart notes as sour as the scent that came from the oven.
And what are your thoughts on the crumb?

For the first time out the gate, ya did okay! And seriously, artisan bread is like marriage--lots of effort, lots of fighting, lots of sweat, lots of tears. But in the end, it's where the heart and home is.

The things I see will correct with experience. Looks like over-proofing and shaping issues.

The compact crumb and low rise is probably a combination of over-proofing and shaping difficulties.

The couple of large holes at the crust and the side burst are shaping issues. If you look at the hole on the right side, you'll see a thin white dough line. That unincorporated dough is also from shaping.

But see those blister on the side of the crust. Let me tell you, in the pacific west, from San Francisco to Seattle those blisters are the hallmark of sourdough!! On the west coast, if it ain't got blister, it ain't sourdough. People anywhere and everywhere can bake sourdough bread and parade their rustic crusts. But in San Francisco, where sourdough is the bread of life, we say blister that baby!


Well done, ya got some blisters!

 

[Theron Hall]

Thanks for the feed back.
I probably did over do the shaping since I ruined the proof from the refrigerator. I had to do another shaping I had not intended to do.

Thanks again.