Dining and Cooking
Sourdough

Alright… here’s my loaf


Recipe I followed:
•1/3 cup (65 grams) active sourdough starter
•1 1/3 cups (300 grams) warm water
•1/4cup (56 grams) granulated sugar
•3 1/2 -4 cups (500 grams) bread flour
•1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
•2 teaspoons (9 grams) salt

by ElizabethMcH

24 Comments

  1. idealindreamers

    You’re asking for a roasting but it’s hard for me to do that when baking sourdough is something I love and therefore want you to love.

    First loaves are notoriously terrible and yours hits the mark. My first one looked almost identical, albeit more burned.

    For tips, if you’re looking for any: your starter isn’t ready. Not sure if you made it from scratch or inherited it, but it’s not strong enough. Secondly, your bake time is way too low. That pale color = severely underbaked.

    Regardless, my real advice is don’t give up, keep getting your hands dirty, keep reading posts here in this sub (and other places – Instagram was a big learning source for me and books are good too), and you’ll see and taste improvement in no time.

  2. BackgroundEconomy990

    How old is your starter? Also may I ask where you got your recipe from?

    It took me many loaves to “get it right” and even then it’s all down to what you like. Some people strive for a really open crumb and others like a tighter crumb for sandwiches. I’m a big believer in if it tastes good and makes you happy then it’s the perfect loaf.

  3. Perkysrig93

    I actually laughed.

    But yes, on par for a first loaf. I’ve made a few starters, and they have always taken weeeeeks to finally be ready. After the first 2-3 weeks of constant feedings, I tend to let mine nap in the fridge for like a week, do a couple feeds, back in the fridge. This just always seems to cut the readiness time. I also really love the Grant Bakes sourdough recipe. It was the first recipe that turned out well for me and I always go back to it. Super detailed, videos, etc.

  7. JennieFairplay

    Look on the bright side, you just might win the award for worst crumb 🙂

    But don’t despair and don’t give up. You’ll get better with some tweaks. I think a part of your problem is your recipe (sugar? It affects the hydration of the dough). I would maybe try scratching that recipe and going with Pantry Mama’s or King Arthur’s. Those are pretty much fool proof if you have a good starter.

  8. SilverLabPuppies

    Starter issues: bread baked is pale, uncooked, gummy, dense (no tight or semi-tight crumb). No rise, no oven spring, not tasty.

    Everyone’s first few bakes are oopsies. They are blonde hockey pucks. Keep feeding your starter daily on the counter. This helps strengthen young starters. Usually about 2 months starters start showing more strength, height, spring, crumb, and color. Keep baking each week and you will see the strength and get more proficient with your starter. You are not alone!

    Please use digital thermometer before taking bread out of oven. Should read 200-210F. If temp not reached check again in 5-10 minutes.

  9. Edena_eddie

    I think everyone here is right about the starter being not ready.
    Second, I’d really invest in a kitchen scale, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
    Third, what are the steps? You might not want to add salt at the very beginning with everything else.
    Also, there’s sooo much sugar?? You don’t have to put any.
    It took me a few bakes to get a properly proofed and baked loaf. Don’t give up!

  10. blade_torlock

    Was the Pinterest recipe specifically formulated for bred machines? People are giving you some great advice fir a standard loaf but you have outside what most of us do. Hard to preheat a bread machine for before baking to get that shock spring.

  13. fhpapa

    Im in by no means an expert, but how are you incorporating the starter in the dough? If you mix the water, sugar and salt and then the starter in that mixture. That might actually have killed it, leading to a “weak” starter. I saw you mention your starter is 3 weeks old, which I think should be pretty strong if you feed it daily

  14. anotherYwoman

    You can achieve excellent sourdough bread without the sugar and the oil. I would highly recommend using a different recipe. There are many good recipes in this sub…

  15. AnswerTotal

    Idk if you still want a roast but it looks like you cooked it using a double boiler lmao

  17. derKakaktus

    If it makes you feel better, I baked my first loaf in a banneton 😀😂 it was delicious still but flat and I must admit pretty hazardous during the baking stage 😂😂

  19. Slight_Ad5071

    What are the holes on the bottom from?

  20. gmangreg

    Was this done in a bread maker? whats the square shaped hole at the bottom?

  21. badbvtch

    My family laughed at my first loaf. I don’t have pictures but it was legit a Frisbee and dense. I followed this recipe in the beginning/after my first failures and still do for the most part. Only I halved it and added a bit of sugar.

    https://youtu.be/DiI-1PF_Mr0?si=91pTAHbdB8P4orTe

    Make sure your starter doubles and bubbles before using it. Godspeed my fellow baker.

  23. Serious-Awareness-80

    Why make sour dough when it’s so much work with feeding the starter and such. Make Italian bread, flour,water,yogurt,little bit of salt and yeast. Let rise ,bake and done, it even taste much better then sour dough.

Write A Comment