Sourdough starter help

Scottland · 9 Sep 2013 at 12:33

Hi,

I've been nurturing a starter for the last few weeks now, and it just doesn't seem to be working all that well. I am seeing some activity, by the way of bubbles in the mix etc but when using the starter for a loaf I don't get any rise at all out of it.

Thoughts? Tips?

bsoltan · 9 Sep 2013 at 13:02

Where are you keeping it?

molinari · 9 Sep 2013 at 13:07

Sorry, I can't be much help at the moment, a sourdough starter is something that I've looked at making but not actually done yet. What process have you followed up to now with it? I'll have a look in my bread book when I get home if no one else can help.

arknor · 9 Sep 2013 at 13:36

make ciabatta dough instead

should taste similar and only needs 12 hours minimum
I did it a few times but left the culture for 24hours tasted even more nom

bread maker recipe but gets baked in the oven to make proper ciabatta

comes out of the oven looking something like this

if you make it proper italian slipper style

Scottland · 9 Sep 2013 at 14:08

bsoltan said:
Where are you keeping it?

Just on the kitchen worktop for now, I want to keep it fairly warm whilst still trying to encourage it.

Scottland · 9 Sep 2013 at 14:10

molinari said:
Sorry, I can't be much help at the moment, a sourdough starter is something that I've looked at making but not actually done yet. What process have you followed up to now with it? I'll have a look in my bread book when I get home if no one else can help.

Started with 200g flour and 200ml water. Leaving it loosely covered for 24 hours before discarding half and feeding it with another 100g flour and 100ml water.

It proper stinks now, so it's doing something!

Pajeh · 9 Sep 2013 at 15:00

When I was using a sour dough starter it would be really slow to rise. I would make the bread dough in the evening and leave it overnight. Fantastic bread but you do have to look after the starter.

Scottland · 13 Sep 2013 at 17:54

I've been having a bit more success with it this week, maybe it needed more time. It now bubbles right up as soon as I feed it, and when I take it out of the fridge to feed it again (where I'm now keeping it).

HeadlessChicken · 14 Sep 2013 at 08:43

Scottland said:
when I take it out of the fridge to feed it again (where I'm now keeping it).

That's why it's so slow. Keeping a ready to go starter in the fridge is fine, but when making one I'd recommend leaving it at room temp. The yeasties need all the help they can get.

Scottland · 14 Sep 2013 at 20:53

HeadlessChicken said:
That's why it's so slow. Keeping a ready to go starter in the fridge is fine, but when making one I'd recommend leaving it at room temp. The yeasties need all the help they can get.

I've only started keeping it in the fridge since it started working much better