Sourdough Bread

Hoss

I made my first loaf.I masde the starter,the sponge then the bread.I followed the instructios.It was O.K. but not GREAT.Had a very good flavor but the texture was lacking.I think I added too much flour when making the dough.
The sponge.

Added the salt,sugar and butter.

The dough.

Done.



It was a semi success.I'll tweak it a little next time.

ResQue

It looks like you didn't get that "oven spring" I have the same problem with any loaf I do, whether it be french, italian, etc.

RU Eggsperienced

Hey Hoss,

Well that sure does look nice!!! Congrats...

Will you keep your starter going or start again from scratch? My mom used to keep hers going as long as I could remember.. Haven't tried it myself...yet.

cookn biker

Hoss, What didn't you like about it?

Shiff

I have found that adding butter or milk to a bread dough will make it softer.

Did you use bread flour or all purpose flour?

Hoss

You're right.I think it was too much flour.When I feed the started it poofs up then falls back down,same with the sponge.?? :huh:

misfit

Hoss, just slap some fried loney on there and you're good to go.

Hoss

I have 2 jars in the fridge.When I feed it I just divide it and feed both.Next time I feed I'll have 4 jars and so on til I bake it up or get tired of messin with it.Thanks.

Hoss

The texture.It was dense instead of light and fluffy.Tasted good just wanted it poofier.

Hoss

I use wheat flour to feed the starter and used AP to form the dough.Do you think I need bread flour? :huh:

Hoss

I did! :laugh:

misfit

Word of the day; Poofier.

ResQue

I wonder if you let it rise for too long? Like I said, I have the same problem. i really need to get back into the bread baking to figure out what is going wrong. My breads always taste great but the texture is "poofy" like we all want. I also need to stop using the KA so I can "get a feel" of what the dough should feel like.

Hoss

:laugh:

Hoss

Yeah,I used the KA and dumped in too much flour.When I REread the instructions they said that 3 cups was a guide,use more or less depending on the moisture in the sponge.

Gator Bait

 
Hoss my friend, have you ever read this page. Three quarters of the way down the page he talks about adding to much flour as you suspect.

I wish I could help but I have yet to play with sourdough. If I was making regular yeast breads I might guess that you may have kneaded it too long especially if there was a second kneed before the final rise. I had to learn to cut back on kneading to improve my texture. Just a guess.

In the past I have also read that starting with wild yeast as you have has an element of risk to it as you do not know what yeast you are going to get. There are some great starters on line for a small amount of money that might be worth trying.

King Arthur Flour has a starter I believe is over 200 years old that gets good reviews.

Sourdough International has some interesting starters, their Original San Fransisco I have read good things about.

Carl Griffith's 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter is free for a #10 envelope and postage and is also very popular.

I wish I had first hand experience for you but I have only gotten as far as researching it. I don't have a kitchen at the moment or I would jump right in. :cheer:

Don't get discouraged, my Dad was no great cook but he taught himself how to cook sourdough and eventually got very good at it.

For your first attempt it looks great, now all we have to do is work on your close-up photography a little bit.

Blair


 

2Fategghead

It looks good from my house Hoss. I know you have put a lot of effort in this. Keep on keeping on.

Hoss

:laugh: Thanks GB.Those sites weill help.I appreciate the tips.A photographer,I ain't.I just set it on auto and point n click. My camera is an el cheapo Kodak EasyShare V530. It is so antiquated that it has to set on a little stand to charge or send pics to the computer. :laugh:

Hoss

:laugh: Thanks Tim.I ain't givin up that easy!

Little Steven

Hoss,

We all have successes and failures. Should be ok for a loney sandwich :laugh:


Steve

Hoss

It WAS! :laugh: :P

elzbth

I say it's a great start. If I lived much closer I could take your 2nds off your hands! :blink:

Hoss

Thanks e.I'm gonna keep at it.If I EVER bake a decent loaf maybe I'll send you one.It may be a loooong time though! :blink:

Shiff

When I switched to bread flour, I think it made a big difference in texture. I mostly make the no Knead type bread in a dutch oven, but I have modified the ingredients to make many different kinds of bread. I really like the sourdough version.

Shiff

The 1847 sourdough is the one I like the most although I haven't tried the San Francisco one which I expect would be very good.

Hoss, some of your pictures were out of focus because you were probably too close. See if your camera has a macro mode which allows you to get closer to the bread when you take a picture and still keep it in focus.

Hoss

O.K. Thanks for the tips.

Judy Mayberry

Aaron:

Once you DO know what the dough should feel like, you can go right back to the KA. You'll never forget it.

I think a lot of the folks here can relate when I tell you it feels like a "soft belly."

And a stickier (wetter) dough, meaning more hydration, makes a better loaf.

Judy in San Diego

Judy Mayberry

Hoss:

Don't give up! You're on the right track now that you know to hold back the flour and keep it softer and just a little moist.

Keep us informed.

Judy

Hoss

I will Miss Judy.I'm not gonna let bread whip me!

Hoss

Is there a sourdough No Knead? :huh: The No Knead in a D.O. is what started me down this twisted path. :laugh:

Pork Butt Mike

Looks real good there Hoss, nice color and all. Good Eats