This is my first time! My friend gave me her sourdough starter and I fed it twice before using it

I used
150grams starter
250grams water
25 grams olive oil
10grams of salt
500 grams of bread flour

I did the stretch and pull method 4 times by 30 mins
Then let it rest overnight out the fridge for about 9 hours. Then shaped it and let rest for another hour

I baked it for 20 mins covered and 35 mins uncovered at 450 degrees

And it rested for 6 hours.
It was good for my first loaf I guess! I want it to be more chewy moist and sour if that makes sense haha! And less dense! What should I do

I made this today and was wondering what yall think?

350g water
500g flour
100g starter
10g salt

I mixed it all together and then let it rest for an hr. I 2 stretch and folds and 1 coil folds. I let it bulk ferment for 5 hrs and shaped it put it in a bowl and put it the fridge over night. I baked it 450f for 25 mins and took off the lid for another 25 mins.

Made a big batch of starter to both bake sourdough and prep sourdough brown buttered cookies around 7:30p last night and this morning I woke up to this beautiful masterpiece ✨😅 I’m not crying because I intentionally made a little more than I needed! but overall this made me laugh 😂 lol

I used Gemini for creating the starter from scratch, the recipe and guidance along the way. A lot to learn but not bad for a first attempt.

I always have three small glass pots with silicone lids in the fridge as my backup starters and I rotate them out as I refresh weekly. All three have got a dried top that almost looks like filo pastry when you zoom in on the picture. I’ve made consistently good bread for about 12 months. ChatGPT says that it’s likely a yeast (Kahm) and I should discard, saying that the folds are typical of a certain kind of surface yeast (i uploaded a pic), Claude tells me that it’s probably just dry and I shouldn’t worry about it. It’s never look like this before, even though I have seen separation which is discoloured and I’ve just poured it off. This doesn’t feel right. Please help me reddit!

Sourdough Bread Recipe
Ingredients
1 kg flour (Tipo 00, minimum 12.5 g of protein per 100 g)
750 ml water
20 g salt
220 g sourdough starter at peak
Preparing the sourdough starter
Take your starter out of the fridge the morning before baking. Remove half and feed the remaining starter. I usually eyeball the amounts, but aim to roughly double the quantity. Add enough water to achieve the consistency of a thick pancake batter. (If you only have a small amount of starter, simply feed the whole thing.)
Repeat this in the evening, then feed it again the following morning so that it reaches its peak around 3–4 PM.
Making the dough
About one hour before your starter reaches its peak, combine all the flour and water in a bowl and mix into a dough. This is called autolyse, where you let the flour hydrate and the dough develop before adding the starter.
After one hour, add the salt and sourdough starter. Stretch and fold the dough for approximately 10 minutes.
Let it rest for 45 minutes, then perform three rounds of stretch and folds, rotating the dough clockwise each time. You may need 3–5 rounds in total, depending on the room temperature.
The dough is ready when it feels jiggly and no longer sticks to your fingers when you stretch and fold it.
Shaping the loaves
Make a flour mixture using Tipo 00 flour and rice flour (rice flour helps prevent sticking). Sprinkle it over a smooth work surface, then gently tip the dough out onto the table without handling it too much.
The dough should release from the bowl completely when you turn it out, so be patient. A little dough left behind is fine, but if it leaves a web-like pattern in the bowl, it has overproofed. If it sticks excessively, it is underproofed and can be returned to the bowl for another round of proofing.
I usually divide the dough into two loaves. Pre-shape them on the work surface to build tension, then let them rest for 10 minutes before folding them into their final shape and placing them in proofing baskets.
Once the loaves are in their baskets, leave them at room temperature for 1.5 hours, then refrigerate for 1–3 days. One day is usually enough, and I always bake mine the following day.
Baking the bread
Preheat your oven to 230°C using conventional (top and bottom) heat for one hour, with a pizza stone inside and a deep baking tray on the bottom shelf for water.
Once the oven is ready, boil some water and pour it into a cup.
Take the bread straight from the fridge, turn it out onto baking paper, and score it with one long cut from one end to the other to create an ear.
Transfer the bread to the oven, pour the cup of boiling water into the hot baking tray to create steam, close the oven door, and reduce the temperature to 200°C.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the water tray, increase the temperature back to 230°C, and bake for another 20 minutes.
Enjoy your sourdough bread!

I have a relatively new (started during summer) starter that has been neglected in the fridge for about a month. It has now developed this liquid with a slightly pink-ish tone, and I do not know whether it is safe to refresh or whether I need to throw it out?

I usually feed with tap water and a 50-50 mixture of wheat flour an (ecological) coarsly ground rye flour.

Please, help!!

Hi I’m just wondering if anyone sees the pink or orange in here?!? I didn’t feed it for 3 days unfortunately so I think I kill it tbh
- I’ve been using bread flour and a 1:1:1 ratio
EDIT- the weird splotch in the middle is from the top hardening bc I made it too warm on accident 😓

Hey I have a starter that I got from a bakery and I have been feeding it 1:1:1 with corse wholegrain

It is able to double in 4hrs when I do 50g each starter flour water but if I go 100g of everything it refuses to double

Starter pic is attached

Every time I’ve tried, it’s failed—and when I say "hot," I mean *really* hot; if I cracked an egg on the asphalt, it would fry!

Hi! I am new to sourdough baking and got Maurizio Leo’s book “The perfect loaf”. I have tried unsuccessfully two bread recipes and am trying to adjust my starter, temperature, humidity…
I want to keep trying but most recipes are made for two big loaves of about 900 grams each and I feel that is too much bread for me.
This might be a silly question, but do you think o can just make half of the recipe? If yes, do I just use half of the listed amount or is there a trick to it?
Thank you for your help!

I’m curious what would happen if I used 150g of sourdough starter instead of 100g (30% instead of 20%).
Would it affect the texture, flavor, and final loaf?

Has anyone tried this and noticed a difference?

Hey guys,

Just wanted to share one learning from my recent bake. Basically, before this, I was always afraid to extend bulk fermentation because I kept thinking the dough was getting way too loose.

Then I remembered that specific part from Jeffrey Hamelman's book where he says the dough should never be left unattended for more than 90 minutes without folding. So I decided to test it. I also set up an aliquot jar sample for this one to track the fermentation, and honestly, it was a marvel. I could actually see what was going on instead of pretending the dough had risen (hard to assess from kneading bowl).

My starter was a bit on the early side (definitely before peak), so it had a pretty long lag phase. But having that vodka shot sample gave me the confidence to just keep folding and folding. Because of all the folds, the dough handled really well, it wasn't sticking, kept its shape, and felt great. On top of that, I picked up a different bread flour from the shop, and honestly, it made such a difference that I still find it hard to believe.

Because of the super long fermentation, the oven spring wasn't quite what I expected it to be, but the crumb and the flavor turned out really good.

I think that bulk fermentation has finally clicked for me.

Here’s the timeline:

• 13:08 – 14:30: Autolyse (1 hr 22 min)
• 14:30 – 15:05: Stretch & fold #1 (35 min)
• 15:05 – 15:34: Stretch & fold #2 (29 min)
• 15:34 – 16:08: Stretch & fold #3 (34 min)
• 16:08 – 16:38: Stretch & fold #4 (30 min)
• 16:38 – 18:20: Bulk rest (1 hr 42 min - noticed that sample hasn't grown as I expected it to)
• 18:20 – 19:01: Extra Coil fold #1 (41 min)
• 19:01 – 19:53: Extra Coil fold #2 (52 min)
• 19:53 – 20:44: Extra Coil fold #3 (51 min)
• 20:44 – 21:59: Extra Coil fold #4 (1 hr 15 min)
• 21:59 – 22:23: Pre-shape & bench rest (24 min)
• 22:23 – 23:19: Final shape & counter proof (56 min)
• 23:19 – 08:48: Cold retard in fridge (9 hr 29 min)
• 08:48 – 09:33: Bake in Dutch oven (40 min 20/20)

I've made a lot of really good bread from his book with his yeasted recipes. Most of his recipes say to let the dough triple in volume during bulk fermentation and that's worked fine so far.

I made his country blonde and let the dough rise overnight. My room was 78 degrees overnight so I cut the levain in half. 11 hours later, the dough was extremely sticky and all of the gluten just felt like it was destroyed.

Since my kitchen was around 73 degrees during the day, I decided to make a small batch of dough with the same ratios as the recipe in the book. I watched the dough constantly throughout the day and shaped it just before it reached triple in size which took about 12 hours. The dough had the exact same issue.

So there is no way I can get sourdough to triple without destroying the gluten and I don't understand how Ken is able to. Has anyone else noticed the same issue? How much do you let the dough rise with his sourdough recipes?

So after literally MONTHS (maybe 3/4?) of trying to boost my lazy starter, the last couple of feedings it has finally taken off and is doubling in 2-3 hours. I’m not sure exactly what did it, but here is what I recommend in this order:

1. Keep it somewhere warm. I’m in the north of England, my kitchen is cold. It has been living in the microwave with a cup of hot water.
   
2. Gradually increase feedings. I carried on with 1:1:1 for a while, then the last week I have been feeding 1:2:2.

Nothing else seemed to help it. I tried wholewheat flour, bottled water, nothing else seemed to help.

Mildly annoyed because just before it took off I made another loaf, so I want to finish eating this one before I try the new and improved starter 😂 my loaves were actually ok with the lazy starter! They took a looooong time to proof, but were pretty alright. But I’m sure they will be much better now

I began my sourdough journey 8 weeks ago with a from scratch starter. I was able to start baking after 16 days. This is my first attempt at anything chocolate but it will definitely not be my last!

I used a recipe from @Thesourdoughlady on YouTube (https://youtu.be/775ToCiHk7Y?is=vp7bLhAJE7iHs9Fe.)

I did make a couple of changes though...

- I didn't have 150g of starter so I used 120g

- I made the coffee in my moka pot so it was probably a little stronger than a dark roast coffee

- I used a total of 200g of semi sweet chocolate chips instead of 170g each semi sweet and milk chocolate.

- I only let it cool for an hour because I just couldn't wait!!

So I have been baking bread for a while. Recently I found the sourdough journey bulk chart.
I am in Madrid, and it is still hot here. So I have been trying to control the fermentation using the chart as it is still so hot here, and when I turn around the dough turns into a sticky mess and impossible to shape.
So the most common recipe:
In grams
350 water
100 starter
500 bread flour
10 salt
Autolysis, s&f every 40 mins x4, pre shape, shape, fridge till next morning. 250c pregetead dutch oven with lid and ice for 30 mins- 15 mins uncovered 220c
I monitor the dough a couple of times and it was around 25c so I aimed 30% raise.
The dough didn’t get domed nor too jiggly. Some big bubbles on top.
So, I am getting blinder and can’t even differentiate if I am over under proofing.
It is driving me nuts. What should I do, I want to eat nice bread in hot wether too 🤪

I’ve been making sourdough almost 2 years now and I either like how the loaf looks on the outside or the crumb but never both! I think I am happy with this one but wondering if anyone can give me their thoughts on the crumb/how it looks.

Recipe:
150g starter(I usually do 100 but poured too much)
320g water
500g bread flour
10g salt(delayed)

Mixed starter flour and water together and kneaded until it came together in a smooth ish ball. Left for 30 min, add salt and performed first set of stretch and folds. Repeated those three more times every 30 minutes. It bulk fermented after for around 4 hours at around 76-78°. I shaped and only cold proof for 2.5 hours to help keep its shape while scoring. I did an open bake for 35 minutes at 425° with steam source, then 400° for 7 minutes without. Left on a cooling rack overnight and cut next day!

The crumb looks pretty tight to me but feels very soft! Thank you to anyone who can give me some feedback I really appreciate it!

Actually my second loaf from this recipe in my brand new Pullman (aka pain de mie) pan. Thanks to Lisa Bass for the recipe at https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/sourdough-pain-de-mie-pullman-bread-recipe, this bread is now our go-to for white sourdough sandwich bread, not made with discard. I love my new Pullman pan for the consistent size and shape of the slices and that this recipe has a tight crumb that doesn't leak mustard while you're eating your sandwich! Not the most beautiful loaf, but great sourdough taste and very practical. Also makes great toast, including French toast. Note I got a weird angle on the crumb shot - the slices are not narrow at the top IRL.

I did it! I tried my first loaf with my 6 week old starter, Frodough.

I followed Joshua Weissman’s recipe for the ultimate loaf: https://www.joshuaweissman.com/post/sourdough-bread.

I learned a lot, and am so happy with this first result! Will be making more immediately!

Turkish Simit. Came out crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Now I am trying to keep my hands of it, so I don't end up eating them all at once.

I have lot's of sesame seeds which are coming near the expiration date, so I was looking for recipes that call for their use.

My sourdough starter seemed to be ready, so I decided to test it out. I left the dough sitting at room temp for half a day, popped it into fridge over night and took it out early in the morning. I shaped them around 10 and baked them at around noon.

Also, the recipe was a bit odd to follow for me, because I am not turkish and I am not familiar with their pastry.

I have to say, I wasn't expecting the flavor to be so rich, yet so mild. Hard to explain, but I really love how they taste.

Recipe: https://cafefernando.com/sourdough-simit/

Instead of dipping the dough in the mix and seeds, I brushed it with the molases mix (made half of what was called for and there was still too much left, next time I'd go for 10g molasses, 30 grams water mix, cause I hate to waste food) and sprinkled the toasted sesame seeds on top. I used bio sugar cane molasses, it was the only one I could find in my area.

After a couple months of trial and error, strengthening my starter, and figuring out how to assess proofing, I’m starting to see consistent results. Looking for feedback and any tips you may wish to share!

100g starter
350g water
500g AP flour
10g salt

1. Combine ingredients one at a time in list order
   
2. Rest 30 min in a covered bowl, stretch and fold, repeat x4
   
3. Proof covered on counter until increased 60% volume (8hr)
   
4. Drop onto floured surface, spread into rectangle and fold into thirds, roll up and tuck in ends, using a bench scraper, shape and tuck ends to build tension.
   
5. Place into rice floured banneton and cover, place into fridge 12hr.
   
6. Preheat oven and Dutch oven 260° C, then set to 230°
   
7. Score, bake covered for 20 min, uncovered 15min

Recipe:
550g flour
360g water
100g starter
12g salt

Let rest for 45 mins after initial mix, 2 sets of stretch and folds, 2 sets of coil and folds. Temp after final coil fold was about 74 degrees and total bulk was about 7 hrs

I finally feel like my loaves are as tall as I see everywhere even though sometimes my bulk feels short considering the dough temp. Any changes I should experiment with?

I spontaneously decided to make these from my starter discard! Starter was fed at 1:3:3 ratio 5 days ago and stored in the fridge. I didn't feed it again for this bake.

Recipe is from the perfect loaf, although I decided to go for the classic knot shaping because it's so much cuter. https://www.theperfectloaf.com/cardamom-rolls/

I also had to make another batch of filling, because it just wasn't enough!

I made the pearl sugar myself and I honestly didn't expect it to be so difficult. I made a little sugar dough ball using half a cup of powder sugar and around two teaspoons of water. The tutorials I had seen for this were either casually grating the ball down a box grater, or rolling it flat and chopping it up in tiny cubes with the bench scraper. Neither worked for me. I ended up taking around 40 minutes to pinch little bits of sugar dough and kind of crumble them together to form tiny shards.

The knots tasted better than the bakery's! A little tangy from the sourdough (maybe the 5 day old starter made it more pronounced), which is exactly what I was going for. Not too sweet and very fragrant. The bottom is deeply caramelized and crispy, while the interior is tender and tears apart like cirrus clouds parting in the sky! I used all purpose flour at 12,6% protein and ground the cardamom myself.

I'd love to try more recipes like that! Do you guys have favorites?