I spent seven days making a starter, bought FWSY, and spent the weekend making my first real bread. I need to speak with the manager.
I spent seven days making a starter, bought FWSY, and spent the weekend making my first real bread. I need to speak with the manager.
by rocco1234500
33 Comments
titanium-back
Your starter is probably too young. Unless you got some starter that was established already, 7 days isn’t enough. It takes time to establish the yeast colony.
K33bl3rkhan
Oh my. The first thing I learned about breads and pizza dough, you’ll need a lot of techinque. Just reading a recipe does nothing with how to know when to knock it down, what temperatures to use, how to hand the dough etc. If you just want bread, get a bread mschine. Otherwise, bread and dough is 80% technique, 20% ingredients. I’d suggest watching the ng some videos on mixing, rising, kneading, folding, and shaping. Breads are an art form, fortunately and unfortunately.
MeInSC40
I’d start off with the yeasted poolish recipes in the book and work your way up to the sourdoughs.
PaulDavidsGuitar
Welcome to bread making. It’s not about a good recipe, it’s about understanding it. You’ll learn through trial and error. The good bit? If the fails can taste better than most store bought bread.
IceDragonPlay
It usually takes a starter two weeks to get to the “reliably rising” point. And then another week or two until starter doubling is occurring in the timeframe recipes expect (doubles in 4–5 hours from 1:1:1 feeding by weight).
Basically with a new starter, if it is not doubling in 4-5 hours, the timings in a recipe will be wrong. You need to work only to the % rise the recipe expects for bulk fermentation. And be patient, really patient.
MV203
Never had a starter ready in 7 days, I actually ordered one online this year thinking I’d save some time and it def wasn’t ready for like 13-14 days.. live and learn I guess. Best ones I’ve had I made with whole wheat flour in the beginning then switch to AP for like 3rd feed I think.
danarexasaurus
7 days is not enough time, no matter what Google tells you. That starter was barely useable. Sorry.
OneToCrowOn
This book, which is great, has weird instructions on folding the dough. You fold the dough four separate times while it’s bulk proofing. I set a 30 minute timer after I mix the bread, and then fold. 30 minutes, then fold, etc. My bread went from looking like yours (when I did the folding only one time) to looking like the picture. I made the Pain de Campaigne.
Force321X
Give it one more week with the starter and it’ll be much more usable
FayeCooks
This is a bot. I’ve seen this exact same post forever ago.
Dee_dubya
Start that book by making the Saturday white as it suggests and you’ll have no issues.
RevolutionaryAd6564
This is how I started exactly. I found his recipes to be pretty complex for starting out with. They are my Go-Too now, but he has an insanely high feeding amount and is mixing several flours. I found the book Tartine and that’s what got me my first successes.
Honestly, for some reason his sourdough recipes just never really worked out great for me. I liked the website theperfectloaf, he breaks down the recipes pretty clearly. All the biga and poolish recipes in FWSY are delicious though, and very consistently make great loaves. You could also try again when you’re starting is a little more mature, some just take a little while to hit their peak haha
PortoBESA
7 Days starter is too young.
Justakatttt
You need like 14 days for a mature enough starter.
Lioneriod
At least you didn’t make it round. I threw my first at the wall and it barely cracked lmao
Beginning-Bed9364
It took me 4 or 5 loaves over a couple months before it started looking kind of right. There’s a ton of nuance, the age of the starter, how active/well fed it is, the temperature of your room, the amount of gluten you develop, the time left to rest/proof at each of the stages. It’s major trial and error just to start getting it right
Soft_Delivery_3889
Age that starter, feed it like a skinny rescue pup, name it, think about it, care for it, talk about it to your friends who don’t give a crap about bread. Take two weeks thinking all it could be. Then make bread.
FeedingCoxeysArmy
I have Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Francois and Hertzberg. All recipes I’ve made have turned out perfectly every time. Check that one out from your library to see if you like it.
pnewmatic
I’ve been making Overnight White Bread for years with great results. For me it’s too much hassle maintaining a starter. Also, once I realized I was overproofing my dough, my results improved dramatically. Forkish lives in the Pacific Northwest, where bulk fermentation of 12-14 hours makes sense. My oven has a proofing setting and I only need 8 hours.
wonderfullywyrd
a 7 day old starter will likely not be fit enough
wizzard419
I am guessing this is your first time making sourdough? It takes practice and it’s very normal to get those results the first several times because you won’t understand how things should feel/look. They try to help with pictures, video and such, but you still need practice.
MissDryCunt
Did you use tap water?
kank84
Don’t get discouraged, I’m sure most people make some flying saucer loaves at the beginning (I know I certainly did).
Maybe start with the yeast recipes while you’re developing your starter. They’re a bit more forgiving, they still taste good, and you can practice your folding and shaping techniques.
JT_Cooks
Starter just wasn’t quite ready yet. Give it another week or two!
Character-Milk-3792
Seven days isn’t enough.
goretexwetsuit
Also check your temps. You want dough to bulk around 85°. Active starter can yield results like this in cool settings
thuet
That starter is too young. You’re better off just buying a freeze dried starter on etsy or calling a local bakery in your area and asking if you can have some of their starter. Many will share for free if you bring your own container. I’ve also gotten one from my local buy nothing group.
BAMspek
Leaps and bounds better than mine, because I’ve never even tried. Good for you, and keep at it.
maythesbewithu
I have spent 26 years making a starter and still get these results occasionally!
txbabs
Forkish has the bulk fermentation time waaay too long. Even if your levain is ready to rock, if you go as long as he says you will have dough goo. Read up & watch some vids on how to assess bulk fermentation and you will have a better outcome. #voiceofexperience
Makanly
Reminder to people, don’t forget about your local library! I currently have FWSY checked out at no cost from my local library
33 Comments
Your starter is probably too young. Unless you got some starter that was established already, 7 days isn’t enough. It takes time to establish the yeast colony.
Oh my. The first thing I learned about breads and pizza dough, you’ll need a lot of techinque. Just reading a recipe does nothing with how to know when to knock it down, what temperatures to use, how to hand the dough etc. If you just want bread, get a bread mschine. Otherwise, bread and dough is 80% technique, 20% ingredients. I’d suggest watching the ng some videos on mixing, rising, kneading, folding, and shaping. Breads are an art form, fortunately and unfortunately.
I’d start off with the yeasted poolish recipes in the book and work your way up to the sourdoughs.
Welcome to bread making. It’s not about a good recipe, it’s about understanding it. You’ll learn through trial and error. The good bit? If the fails can taste better than most store bought bread.
It usually takes a starter two weeks to get to the “reliably rising” point. And then another week or two until starter doubling is occurring in the timeframe recipes expect (doubles in 4–5 hours from 1:1:1 feeding by weight).
Basically with a new starter, if it is not doubling in 4-5 hours, the timings in a recipe will be wrong. You need to work only to the % rise the recipe expects for bulk fermentation. And be patient, really patient.
Never had a starter ready in 7 days, I actually ordered one online this year thinking I’d save some time and it def wasn’t ready for like 13-14 days.. live and learn I guess. Best ones I’ve had I made with whole wheat flour in the beginning then switch to AP for like 3rd feed I think.
7 days is not enough time, no matter what Google tells you. That starter was barely useable. Sorry.
This book, which is great, has weird instructions on folding the dough. You fold the dough four separate times while it’s bulk proofing. I set a 30 minute timer after I mix the bread, and then fold. 30 minutes, then fold, etc. My bread went from looking like yours (when I did the folding only one time) to looking like the picture. I made the Pain de Campaigne.
Give it one more week with the starter and it’ll be much more usable
This is a bot. I’ve seen this exact same post forever ago.
Start that book by making the Saturday white as it suggests and you’ll have no issues.
This is how I started exactly. I found his recipes to be pretty complex for starting out with. They are my Go-Too now, but he has an insanely high feeding amount and is mixing several flours. I found the book Tartine and that’s what got me my first successes.
Try to get something similar to our post [https://www.reddit.com/r/Breadit/comments/1g9jefe/something_wonderful_has_happened_first_hopefully/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Breadit/comments/1g9jefe/something_wonderful_has_happened_first_hopefully/)
using this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI2-6Ps2Hcc&list=PLaxioz–eoDVs1IwGnOwHaQwDGQ96dY3s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI2-6Ps2Hcc&list=PLaxioz–eoDVs1IwGnOwHaQwDGQ96dY3s) video.
Doing bread by “feel” is a wonderful skill.
Honestly, for some reason his sourdough recipes just never really worked out great for me. I liked the website theperfectloaf, he breaks down the recipes pretty clearly. All the biga and poolish recipes in FWSY are delicious though, and very consistently make great loaves. You could also try again when you’re starting is a little more mature, some just take a little while to hit their peak haha
7 Days starter is too young.
You need like 14 days for a mature enough starter.
At least you didn’t make it round. I threw my first at the wall and it barely cracked lmao
It took me 4 or 5 loaves over a couple months before it started looking kind of right. There’s a ton of nuance, the age of the starter, how active/well fed it is, the temperature of your room, the amount of gluten you develop, the time left to rest/proof at each of the stages. It’s major trial and error just to start getting it right
Age that starter, feed it like a skinny rescue pup, name it, think about it, care for it, talk about it to your friends who don’t give a crap about bread. Take two weeks thinking all it could be. Then make bread.
I have Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Francois and Hertzberg. All recipes I’ve made have turned out perfectly every time. Check that one out from your library to see if you like it.
I’ve been making Overnight White Bread for years with great results. For me it’s too much hassle maintaining a starter. Also, once I realized I was overproofing my dough, my results improved dramatically. Forkish lives in the Pacific Northwest, where bulk fermentation of 12-14 hours makes sense. My oven has a proofing setting and I only need 8 hours.
a 7 day old starter will likely not be fit enough
I am guessing this is your first time making sourdough? It takes practice and it’s very normal to get those results the first several times because you won’t understand how things should feel/look. They try to help with pictures, video and such, but you still need practice.
Did you use tap water?
Don’t get discouraged, I’m sure most people make some flying saucer loaves at the beginning (I know I certainly did).
Maybe start with the yeast recipes while you’re developing your starter. They’re a bit more forgiving, they still taste good, and you can practice your folding and shaping techniques.
Starter just wasn’t quite ready yet. Give it another week or two!
Seven days isn’t enough.
Also check your temps. You want dough to bulk around 85°. Active starter can yield results like this in cool settings
That starter is too young. You’re better off just buying a freeze dried starter on etsy or calling a local bakery in your area and asking if you can have some of their starter. Many will share for free if you bring your own container. I’ve also gotten one from my local buy nothing group.
Leaps and bounds better than mine, because I’ve never even tried. Good for you, and keep at it.
I have spent 26 years making a starter and still get these results occasionally!
Forkish has the bulk fermentation time waaay too long. Even if your levain is ready to rock, if you go as long as he says you will have dough goo. Read up & watch some vids on how to assess bulk fermentation and you will have a better outcome. #voiceofexperience
Reminder to people, don’t forget about your local library! I currently have FWSY checked out at no cost from my local library