while this is an excellent introduction to creating a sourdough starter this doesnt cover oven temperatures, bulk ferment, shaping, or the obvious use of a banneton for final rise. There is every possibility you'll be able to create this starter and still end up with a pancake.
The final picture in the link is absurd. The crumb is too wet to do much more than gum up a bread knife and the crust is undefined. in the first picture, the crust is underdeveloped suggesting low oven temperatures or a cold kitchen.
Id like to clarify this recipe by adding the following:
80% hydration of the loaf if you're making a rustic/boule and to promote proper gas development in the gluten structure. 65% for sandwich sourdough loaves formed in a pan (and a prayer).
450F oven temp for 45 minutes.
12 hour rest after cooking to allow gluten to properly finalize.
1.8% salt in accordance with the EU health commission recommendations for salt content of artisan breads.
remember to subtract your preferment hydration from the total fermentation. that is, if you start with a 100% hydrated 200g starter, then 100g of water must be deleted from your 80% final hydration.
if you dont have the patience for sourdough --and frankly a commercial steam proofer-- then 1-2% yeast by weight is the general recommendation for white bread. If you've never baked before, sourdough is enough to turn you off to the idea of anything but store bought. it is not as easy as this post makes it seem.
Just to make sure we're clear on this, since I'm relatively new to breadmaking and have so far only followed exact recipes... 80% hydration refers to mass ratios, correct? 80% hydration = 100g flour to 80g water?
> If you've never baked before, sourdough is enough to turn you off to the idea of anything but store bought. it is not as easy as this post makes it seem.
totally disagree..
I've made bread exactly 1x, which was a week long white flour sourdough using similar techniques as described here, and it was pretty good. Not as good as a bakery, but still pretty good.
Thanks for adding pretty much the same things I wanted to say, but doing so better. Getting good at leavened sourdough takes time and practice, but it is absolutely worth the journey. There is a world of variety and frustration and joy and surprise in just flour+water+salt and whatever wild yeast is in your air.
The final picture in the link is absurd. The crumb is too wet to do much more than gum up a bread knife and the crust is undefined. in the first picture, the crust is underdeveloped suggesting low oven temperatures or a cold kitchen.
Id like to clarify this recipe by adding the following:
80% hydration of the loaf if you're making a rustic/boule and to promote proper gas development in the gluten structure. 65% for sandwich sourdough loaves formed in a pan (and a prayer).
450F oven temp for 45 minutes.
12 hour rest after cooking to allow gluten to properly finalize.
1.8% salt in accordance with the EU health commission recommendations for salt content of artisan breads.
remember to subtract your preferment hydration from the total fermentation. that is, if you start with a 100% hydrated 200g starter, then 100g of water must be deleted from your 80% final hydration.
if you dont have the patience for sourdough --and frankly a commercial steam proofer-- then 1-2% yeast by weight is the general recommendation for white bread. If you've never baked before, sourdough is enough to turn you off to the idea of anything but store bought. it is not as easy as this post makes it seem.