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Wild Yeast
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@caliking Want me to ship you some of my unnamed starter?LBGE 2013 & MM 2014Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FANFlying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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@blind99 @NPHuskerFL I appreciate the offer of starter. I'm working on reviving the bit I had stashed in the freezer, so should know in a day or two whether it's good. Otherwise, I may take you up on the offer.#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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@caliking i've reanimated frozen starter a few times now and find it takes a good 4-5 days to get going, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't look great right off the batChicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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Thanks for the heads up. I'll be more patient with it nowblind99 said:@caliking i've reanimated frozen starter a few times now and find it takes a good 4-5 days to get going, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't look great right off the bat
#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
ITS ALIVE!!!
not the prettiest loaf, but a testament to how hardy these lil yeasties are.
spelt 20%, wheat bran 10%, hydration 75%. I’m enjoying the slight chew of the wheat bran in the last couple of loaves.Binned most of the partially cooked starter, fed it, and it did its thing. Now named Jesus.The frozen starter has also taken off well. Named it Han Doughlo, for obvious reasons.The offer to share your starter(s) is much appreciated @blind99 and @NPHuskerFL#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
Has anyone in the group made sourdough bagels?Mankato, MN - LBGE
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Not yet. I’ve made bagels once before, using commercial yeast. They turned out pretty good.Hoster05 said:Has anyone in the group made sourdough bagels?I’d probably start with 55-60% hydration, 20% starter?
this seems like a good recipe to try:
https://www.baking-sense.com/2019/05/16/homemade-sourdough-bagels/#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
@caliking what’s the benefit of reviving a frozen starter as opposed to starting a new one? faster?
A local baker offered to give some of his but I am about to start one from scratch. Just wondering what I am getting myself into 🤔____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
@paqman it’s definitely faster to revive frozen starter vs. making a new one. Much less effort too.Took about a day or so to get the frozen one going, but it took about a week (or more), with daily tending, to make it when I first started out a couple of years ago.To freeze starter, you thin it out, then spread on parchment in a thin layer and let it dry for a few days. Break it up and freeze. I vac sealed mine. To revive it, rehydrate with tepid water for a few hrs until the chips dissolve. Then feed it a couple of times until it’s bubbly and feisty.#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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what’s the benefit of reviving a frozen starter as opposed to starting a new one?Your starter is a combination of various strains of yeast and bacteria. The combination contributes to the growing properties of the starter and its taste. There is no guarantee that a new starter will have the same combination of various yeast and bacteria. The differences can be subtle or quite pronounced.
Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
@caliking that's a fine looking loaf!
btw I tried to make a nice heart on the top of a loaf last night, for wifeys bday. stencilled ala @nphuskerfl but despite my scoring i still got a split through the heart! next time... maybe valentine's day...Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle -
Thanks @blind99!
I've often pondered the forces at play re: scoring, oven spring, etc. Just haven't had the time to really figure it out
My basic understanding is that scoring provides release for the forces generated by/during oven spring. You could try (deep) scoring a square as an outline, then stencil the heart in the center. Another option may be to score horizontally on 2 sides, so that the top doesn't get stressed and split during baking.
Yet another approach may be to mitigate oven spring by proofing the dough longer than you usually do.
Just thinking aloud.#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
caliking said:Thanks @blind99!
You could try (deep) scoring a square as an outline, then stencil the heart in the center.
Yet another approach may be to mitigate oven spring by proofing the dough longer than you usually do.
That’s basically what I’m doing (scoring a square).
Overproofing the dough did not work well for me, I ended up with uneven oven spring/rise and deformation. I got better results underproofing, the square raises high and uniformly and the “stenciled“ shape remains nice and clean. Maybe I’m not gauging correctly with the finger dent test 🤷♂️____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
So... I’m starting a starter today. Wish me luck. It is winter here (as in lots of snow winter and the windows are closed). So not sure what kind of wild yeast I’ll be able to harvest but hopefully it is the right kind 😂
Been trying diastatic malt powder for 3 days now and it does help with the texture of the crumb. I noticed it improves tenderness and the bread remains fresh longer the next few days. It is worth trying. I don’t think that I would be using it if I knew I would eat all the bread the same day because I personally prefer a “tougher” texture with a somewhat open crumb but my wife prefers soft with smaller “bubbles” crumb. Happy wife, happy life 🤷♂️____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
Most of the yeast and bacteria that will populate your starter will come from the wheat. whole wheat or rye flour are often recommended as the flour to use for getting a starter going. They come with more yeast attached than bleached white flour.paqman said:So... I’m starting a starter today. Wish me luck. It is winter here (as in lots of snow winter and the windows are closed). So not sure what kind of wild yeast I’ll be able to harvest but hopefully it is the right kind 😂
.......Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
I’m going to try some. How much do you use?paqman said:So... I’m starting a starter today. Wish me luck. It is winter here (as in lots of snow winter and the windows are closed). So not sure what kind of wild yeast I’ll be able to harvest but hopefully it is the right kind 😂
Been trying diastatic malt powder for 3 days now and it does help with the texture of the crumb. I noticed it improves tenderness and the bread remains fresh longer the next few days. It is worth trying. I don’t think that I would be using it if I knew I would eat all the bread the same day because I personally prefer a “tougher” texture with a somewhat open crumb but my wife prefers soft with smaller “bubbles” crumb. Happy wife, happy life 🤷♂️My dad usually says that sourdough is too chewy for him. Maybe this will take care of that.#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
@caliking 2% looks like a winning ratio for me when using 60 lintner degree DMP. That was with unbleached AP flour, instant yeast, 1 hour autolyse, short room temperature proofing and same day baking.
@NDG posted a dough recipe that calls for 3% 20 lintner degrees DMP so that should translate to 1% 60 lintner degrees DMP.
Wife says 2% was better, I haven’t tried 3% yet. Guidance I obtained so far is to add 1/2-1 tsp DMP per cup of AP flour. 1/2 tsp per cup of AP flour translates to 1% baker percentage.____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
Sounds like a plan. Picked up some organic flour with no added fungicides.jtcBoynton said:
Most of the yeast and bacteria that will populate your starter will come from the wheat. whole wheat or rye flour are often recommended as the flour to use for getting a starter going. They come with more yeast attached than bleached white flour.paqman said:So... I’m starting a starter today. Wish me luck. It is winter here (as in lots of snow winter and the windows are closed). So not sure what kind of wild yeast I’ll be able to harvest but hopefully it is the right kind 😂
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____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
@caliking @paqman for sure, when done well, the scoring definitely makes for an attractive loaf. i think surrounding the stencil in a square would have done it!
if you had total control of all the variables you could really take control of the loaf. i use the same flour and hydration levels, same cooking vessel. but temp in my kitchen changes, activity level of the starter changes, and rise times change. still the loaves turn out better than storebought.Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle -
Starter day #1 - How shall I call it?
____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
Day 2 - The force is strong in this one!
The volume doubled in just about 3 hours
____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
That thing doesn’t stop 😂😂😂
5 hours and it has more than doubled with at least 12 more hours to go until I discard and feed it again. I see some small bubbles but no big ones. It smells good. I’m almost tempted to bake a bread out of it now 👀____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
thats looking lively @paqman #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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I suppose you could, but you want to go through a few cycles of dumping and feeding to let the yeasties establish and dominate.paqman said:I can’t recall all of what I learned back when I was reading about getting a starter going from scratch, but I think there was something about it initially being a mix of some species of bacteria and yeast, and the repeat cycles eventually suppress the bacteria and lead to the yeast becoming the major player in there.Or something like that. I’m fuzzy on the details.#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
More likely the opposite. The yeast provide the rise and the bacteria provide the flavor. It takes the bacteria longer to get established in a new culture.Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
I’m not sure what happened here but when I woke up this morning the levain actually lost quite a bit of volume. Hopefully I did not kill it when I smelled it last night. 😳
____________________Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli -
It may have just been some large bubbles that off-gassed.
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you are viewing the natural growth cycle of the culture. nothing to worry about. Just stay with the feeding schedule and all will be well.Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
I re-educated myself a bit re: starting a starter and its seems that certain bacteria do proliferate in the beginning, in what starts out as a neutral culture medium. The big rise is from the activity of these bacteria (likely to be some lactobacillus in there). The fall you saw is expected.
Over some time, the bacteria take a back seat as the culture medium becomes more acidic and is less favorable for their growth, but favors the yeast. It's why some folks have to add pineapple juice (or some other acid) to their starting starters to rescue them.#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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