Got my first starter from a bakery, what do I do now?
Got my first starter from a bakery, what do I do now?
by Fryzerofthec
12 Comments
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LenTheWelsh
Spend some time and effort reading about it and learning the process.
gogozrx
feed it!
Artistic-Traffic-112
Hi. Welcome to the community.
Your yeast starter is a live culture of bacteria and wild yeasts found naturally in grain and ground grains. They need two things only food and water. But , in order to thrive actively they also need warm conditions.
Your starter develops more yeast cells every time it has ideal conditions and continues to develop until the conditions limit it further. E.g. when readily available food runs out. When it is fed too much too often. Your starter will sustain a certain density of yeast cells. Further, it has optimal vigour and fermentation potential at optimum density. The yeast and bacteria also maintain the ideal conditions provided they are neither under fed nor over fed. They will survive and continue fermenting i a wide range of temperatures. From freezer (-18°C) to (30°C) safely. Ideal bread making dough temperature 25 – 27°C
When you reduce your starter by either baking with the rest or by discard you retain that population density the cells don’t die but they can go into limbo and need a kick to revive
Feed the starter 1:1:1 it will multiply and reach optimum density quite rapidly. It will also run out of food quite rapidly, depending on dough temperature. The doubling time at this ratio is the standard for assessing starter activity.
Feed it 1:5:5 it will take approximately three times as long to reach the same population density and therefore double in volume.
My starter doubles in 2 1/2 hours . My bread recipe is 1:5:5 and doubles in volume in about 7 1/2 hours but I curtail it 6 to 6 1/2 hours so there is enough food left for for cold retard.
You don’t need much starter. I keep 45 g in the fridge. When I want to bake I pull it out let it warm up before feeding it 1:1:1 this gives me my levain and 15g surplus to feed 1:1:1 to become my new starter. It lives in the fridge till needed
The next step is making a dough.
Hope the following my be of interest.
Recipe:
Terms.
• Bakers pecentage; the total weight of flour(levain and bulk flour) is 100%
• Starter; a cultivation of the natural wild yeasts and bacteria in flour and water
• Levain; the weight of active and vigorous stsrter to activate a the dough in your
The general proportions of a recipe
• Starter, 20 %
• Salt, 2%
• Water, depends on flour and desired outcome but a good starting point is 65%
My go to recipe.
Starter: 125 grams ( stong white bread flour 80: Whole wheat or Rye 20%; 600g of SWBF or a mixture of flours (necessitating different hydration) 13g salt and 400g water
FLOURS • AP flours: generally lower in the protien scale and softer. As a result lower gluten formation, less shapability and loer hydration factor. However tebds to make fluffier texture
• strong white bread flour: high protien 12 to 15 % with high gluten formation also high hydration factors. High gluten formation leads to good shaping
• whole grain flours: whole wheat and Rye particularly. High hydration factor and adds additional nutrion factors and yeast strains. Tends envigorate levain but bran flakes are sharp and lacerate the forming gluten creating holes and loss of gas.
• ancient whole grain: add taste and nutrition but tend to have lower protein and therefore reduced gluten formstion and hydration.
Phases:
• Mixing dough: The start of bulk fermentation.
This is basic method only put dry ingredients in bowl and combine. Add water and levain stir with stiff spoon or hand until all dry flour is combined. At this stage you have a chance to adjust your hydration to suit the flour but, over the next hour or two the flour will absorb more of the free fluids. So, aim for stickier than drier. I work the dough at this stage to a ensure that the dough is binding as a cohesive ‘ball’. Now the dough needs to rest.
Fermentation is a continuous process. Usually split in two. Bulk fermenttion is when multiple loaves are fermented together in one batch. Then proofing after the ‘ bulk ‘ has been reduced to individual loaves and shaped. Often times the proofing is done in refridgerated conditions to refine baking process. Especially with sourdough.
It is important to adjust the point at which the one finishes and the other starts. There needs tp be just enough ‘food’ to sustain the yeast through to baking. This is usually guaged by the % rise in volume of the raw dough. The longer the intended proofing the lower the % age rise. There are several other ways to guage the curtailment point tho.
My preferred rise is about 75%. I measure the volume of the just mixed dough and then finish the ferment in a bowl marked to double that.
Forming gluten:
Several sets of folding and stretching and folding. Starts after a minimum rest of 1 hour autolyse(water absorbtion).
• simple bowl or counter stretch: The dough will tend to stick to the surface. With wetted fingers tease up the far edge of the dough and lift up as far as it will without tearing, gently. Pull across to other side and lower down to seal on top. Twist 90° and repeat two or three times. When the dough resists, won’t lift, it is time to rest minimum 1/2hr to allow dough to relax. Repeat 3 to four times at 1/2 hour intervals
• Coil fold: bowl or counter. Tease wetted fingers in under edges of dough both sides, lift gently and allow self weight to draw down dough. Drop the near edge down ‘coiling’ the remaining bulk over to the other side. Repeat until the dough will not stretch under own weight. Time to rest dough . Three to four sets in all.
• Lift slap fold: on the counter , strectch dough to about 1″ thick. Reach over with wetted fingers and tease under corners. Lift up and across whole swinging the dough away so the dropping free edge slaps down then fold over the held corners and tap down. Repeat 3 to 4 times. Until no more stretch. Repeat sets at 1/2 hour intervals.
These folds are mix and match 3 to 4 sets combined total.
• Letter fold: like laminating; part of shaping process. Stretch dough out to roughly 1/2 ” thick rectangle. Lift far edge over to third point then fold other edge over. Tightly roll dough and pul tuck corners under bulk of dough to tension the boule. Lift and place in prepared banetton ready to proof after a rest of a minimum of 1/2 hour.
Google Clare Saffitz sourdough. It’s the best way and each loaf I’ve made is fantastic. I’ve dabbled in Sourdough for a while but this is the first time I’ve made consistent bakes every time.
Good choice on getting your starter from a bakery! I did the same and it saved a lot of hassle.
lboehm
I used this recipe for my first sourdough and was pleased with the results and how descriptive it was.
Do what I did, forget about it and let it die, then make your own a few months later and begin treating it like your baby as you should have from the start.
loavesoflove
Since you have to feed it you have to name it.
Butterfly5280
I haven’t read all the comments yet. I would say 1st get a bigger jar 💕
12 Comments
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Spend some time and effort reading about it and learning the process.
feed it!
Hi. Welcome to the community.
Your yeast starter is a live culture of bacteria and wild yeasts found naturally in grain and ground grains. They need two things only food and water. But , in order to thrive actively they also need warm conditions.
Your starter develops more yeast cells every time it has ideal conditions and continues to develop until the conditions limit it further. E.g. when readily available food runs out. When it is fed too much too often. Your starter will sustain a certain density of yeast cells. Further, it has optimal vigour and fermentation potential at optimum density. The yeast and bacteria also maintain the ideal conditions provided they are neither under fed nor over fed. They will survive and continue fermenting i a wide range of temperatures. From freezer (-18°C) to (30°C) safely. Ideal bread making dough temperature 25 – 27°C
When you reduce your starter by either baking with the rest or by discard you retain that population density the cells don’t die but they can go into limbo and need a kick to revive
Feed the starter 1:1:1 it will multiply and reach optimum density quite rapidly. It will also run out of food quite rapidly, depending on dough temperature. The doubling time at this ratio is the standard for assessing starter activity.
Feed it 1:5:5 it will take approximately three times as long to reach the same population density and therefore double in volume.
My starter doubles in 2 1/2 hours . My bread recipe is 1:5:5 and doubles in volume in about 7 1/2 hours but I curtail it 6 to 6 1/2 hours so there is enough food left for for cold retard.
You don’t need much starter. I keep 45 g in the fridge. When I want to bake I pull it out let it warm up before feeding it 1:1:1 this gives me my levain and 15g surplus to feed 1:1:1 to become my new starter. It lives in the fridge till needed
The next step is making a dough.
Hope the following my be of interest.
Recipe:
Terms.
• Bakers pecentage; the total weight of flour(levain and bulk flour) is 100%
• Starter; a cultivation of the natural wild yeasts and bacteria in flour and water
• Levain; the weight of active and vigorous stsrter to activate a the dough in your
The general proportions of a recipe
• Starter, 20 %
• Salt, 2%
• Water, depends on flour and desired outcome but a good starting point is 65%
My go to recipe.
Starter: 125 grams ( stong white bread flour 80: Whole wheat or Rye 20%; 600g of SWBF or a mixture of flours (necessitating different hydration) 13g salt and 400g water
FLOURS
• AP flours: generally lower in the protien scale and softer. As a result lower gluten formation, less shapability and loer hydration factor. However tebds to make fluffier texture
• strong white bread flour: high protien 12 to 15 % with high gluten formation also high hydration factors. High gluten formation leads to good shaping
• whole grain flours: whole wheat and Rye particularly. High hydration factor and adds additional nutrion factors and yeast strains. Tends envigorate levain but bran flakes are sharp and lacerate the forming gluten creating holes and loss of gas.
• ancient whole grain: add taste and nutrition but tend to have lower protein and therefore reduced gluten formstion and hydration.
Phases:
• Mixing dough: The start of bulk fermentation.
This is basic method only put dry ingredients in bowl and combine. Add water and levain stir with stiff spoon or hand until all dry flour is combined. At this stage you have a chance to adjust your hydration to suit the flour but, over the next hour or two the flour will absorb more of the free fluids. So, aim for stickier than drier. I work the dough at this stage to a ensure that the dough is binding as a cohesive ‘ball’. Now the dough needs to rest.
Fermentation is a continuous process. Usually split in two. Bulk fermenttion is when multiple loaves are fermented together in one batch. Then proofing after the ‘ bulk ‘ has been reduced to individual loaves and shaped. Often times the proofing is done in refridgerated conditions to refine baking process. Especially with sourdough.
It is important to adjust the point at which the one finishes and the other starts. There needs tp be just enough ‘food’ to sustain the yeast through to baking. This is usually guaged by the % rise in volume of the raw dough. The longer the intended proofing the lower the % age rise. There are several other ways to guage the curtailment point tho.
My preferred rise is about 75%. I measure the volume of the just mixed dough and then finish the ferment in a bowl marked to double that.
Forming gluten:
Several sets of folding and stretching and folding. Starts after a minimum rest of 1 hour autolyse(water absorbtion).
• simple bowl or counter stretch:
The dough will tend to stick to the surface. With wetted fingers tease up the far edge of the dough and lift up as far as it will without tearing, gently. Pull across to other side and lower down to seal on top. Twist 90° and repeat two or three times. When the dough resists, won’t lift, it is time to rest minimum 1/2hr to allow dough to relax. Repeat 3 to four times at 1/2 hour intervals
• Coil fold: bowl or counter. Tease wetted fingers in under edges of dough both sides, lift gently and allow self weight to draw down dough. Drop the near edge down ‘coiling’ the remaining bulk over to the other side. Repeat until the dough will not stretch under own weight. Time to rest dough . Three to four sets in all.
• Lift slap fold: on the counter , strectch dough to about 1″ thick. Reach over with wetted fingers and tease under corners. Lift up and across whole swinging the dough away so the dropping free edge slaps down then fold over the held corners and tap down. Repeat 3 to 4 times. Until no more stretch. Repeat sets at 1/2 hour intervals.
These folds are mix and match 3 to 4 sets combined total.
• Letter fold: like laminating; part of shaping process. Stretch dough out to roughly 1/2 ” thick rectangle. Lift far edge over to third point then fold other edge over. Tightly roll dough and pul tuck corners under bulk of dough to tension the boule. Lift and place in prepared banetton ready to proof after a rest of a minimum of 1/2 hour.
Look forwsrd to seeing your next loaf.
Happy baking
Happy baking
Congratulations! I have a couple of links for you, [this one is from the Perfect Loaf](https://www.theperfectloaf.com/sourdough-starter-maintenance-routine/) website. It is a great explanation of what’s happening and what to do. [This one is from a YouTuber](https://youtu.be/XnfKeAHUcCI?si=Hww2blb3PD0UVPm5) called Bake with Jack. He gives a nice explanation of the life cycle of the starter which is really helpful.
Hope that is helpful!
Name it!
Google Clare Saffitz sourdough. It’s the best way and each loaf I’ve made is fantastic. I’ve dabbled in Sourdough for a while but this is the first time I’ve made consistent bakes every time.
Good choice on getting your starter from a bakery! I did the same and it saved a lot of hassle.
I used this recipe for my first sourdough and was pleased with the results and how descriptive it was.
[sourdough loaf recipe](https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/beginners-sourdough-bread-recipe/)
Read it a story
Do what I did, forget about it and let it die, then make your own a few months later and begin treating it like your baby as you should have from the start.
Since you have to feed it you have to name it.
I haven’t read all the comments yet. I would say 1st get a bigger jar 💕