White Sourdough

[Purdyhorse]

I’m a regular baker of Dan Leppard’s white sourdough recipe and get superb results - thanks Dan! - but the crumb is never pure white. Please can anyone explain why and/or how to bake a pure white sourdough loaf. Thank you.

 

[Hisgirl]

Do you feed your starter with white flour or do you add any rye or whole wheat?

 

[Purdyhorse]

I use Matthews Churchill Strong White flour.

 

[Purdyhorse]

I use Matthews Churchill Strong White flour.

 

[Hisgirl]

If your starter is healthy, then I would just mark it up to how the enviroment, the bacteria and flours interact. None of my boules or batards are fully white but I tend to add rye or sometimes whole wheat when feeding or mixing dough.

 

[Purdyhorse]

Thank you for your help.

 

[Steelman]

The slightly off-white crumb might be due to the type of flour you're using or even a bit of residual bran. To achieve a purer white crumb, try using a higher-quality, highly refined white flour and sifting it before use. Also, check your starter and make sure it's well-fed. Adjusting your oven temperature and baking time might help too. Hope this helps and happy baking!

 

[Mona]

Achieving a pure white crumb in sourdough mainly depends on the flour type and fermentation process. Using high-quality white bread flour and reducing fermentation time or temperature can help lighten the crumb. Make sure to avoid any additional darkening ingredients like whole grains or malt powder. Adjusting these factors should help you get closer to the pure white crumb you're aiming for.