Sourdough baking

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Sourdough baking

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To get a more sour loaf with more character, is it better to use more starter or less? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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My starter is already quite sour and full of character, so if I use more of it, I'm directly adding those flavors sraight into the dough, but by using more starter it will result in less fermentation time, and less proofing time, which means less sour and less character developed through fermentation and proofing.

On the other hand, if I use less starter, the dough is starting off with less of that initial flavor and character, but the lower starter amount means longer fermentation and proof times, which means more character in the final product.

So which is more impactful to the flavors of the final loaf? The extra initial starter, or the longer fermentation and proof times?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Cold and longer fermentation as it was already noted below. However, I would also like to add another idea: whole grain flours. Even smaller percentages are giving you a fuller flavour. Especially fresh milled is very interesting.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm a big fan of whole grain flours - and always add some amount of whole rye and whole wheat to most of my breads. I'm also a big fan of whole spelt and use that a lot.

I made another batch of dough yesterday - hard to get long fermentations when it's 90f (32c) inside the house. Used ice water to make the dough, and I experimented with fermenting my dough in a bowl sitting on some cold-packs all day and managed to keep the dough at 72f (22c) most of the day. Still was only able to drag fermentation out to 8 hours (and that was starting with half my normal amount of starter for a 5% inoculation. It went into the fridge overnight for finish with a long cold proof, so I won't have my results until tonight when I bake it.