This is my first ever attempt at making sourdough bread but i think i’ve messed it up to the point of no return. Yet i dont want to toss this so can I just bake it and possibly make something out of it? 💀 Should i add more flour?
this is the recipe i used: https://alexandracooks.com/2017/10/24/artisan-sourdough-made-simple-sourdough-bread-demystified-a-beginners-guide-to-sourdough-baking/
by SeparateActive3959
11 Comments
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How many stretch and folds have you done? Were you certain your starter was active enough?
Scrape it into a (papered) loaf tin.
Let it rise again, for best results.
Then bake it and it will be bread.
If you can’t be bothered letting it rise, it will be somewhat denser bread. But still okay.
To mee that looks like a too wet dough, that either requires a LOT of kneeding or do the loaf tin suggestion. Could also be severely overfermented.
How old is your starter?
Your hydration is too high for a beginner. (That means you used more water than a newbie can handle). Use a dough scraper to handle it, put it in a straight sided tin, and bake it. You’ll be surprised.
Can she add flour now?
OK, so the recipe is 75% hydration if you don’t take the water and flour in the starter into consideration, but the starter will increase the hydration by some percent. Alexandra is, therefore, not making it beginer friendly.
As a beginner, aim at 65%, including the water and flour in your starter.
Higher hydration breads are nice, but not worth the trouble and frustration that will result in subpar loaves that might taste nice, but will leave you disappointed every time you lift the lid of your Dutch oven.
Get a feel for what a dough should feel like at lower hydration, once you master it, increase by 2 or 3% and so on.
I can bake 80% hydration with regular yeast no problems, I even baked pan de crystal at 100% hydration. With sourdough, I am nowhere near trying to bake at 80% (I have tried).
Because even if you use 50g starter as per the recipe that is 80% hydration. 100g would be 81%. Those hydration levels can be difficult if you’re still learning. Cut the water in the recipe back to 350g, which gives 70% hydration and give that a go.
Hey there! I have used this exact recipe so hopefully I can help. Did you use bread flour or AP flour? I noticed that when I used AP flour it is significantly more wet and harder to handle, try swapping out with bread flour, thank me later! 🙂
Which flour did you use? strong bread flour? any whole wheat or rye in there?