Mike Dilger wrote:

First, I am not a baker. The most I've ever done in the
past was brownies according to the box. So starting with
sourdough is probably crazy, but such am I.

Great going!


I followed the instructions at
http://samartha.net/SD/MakeStarter01.html

I used a baking stone and baking parchment. I put a bowl
of water in the oven.

The results for me:

1. The dough didn't seem to rise fully. I let it go for 8
hours or so, but it was never quite what I would call
"double". The starter, when fed, does seem to double
and more. Maybe I didn't wait long enough?

Maybe too long? Not knowing more detail, but seeing 8 hours dough
fermentation, it could get pretty sour and liquid by then. By liquid I
mean loss of structure and inability to hold gas for a rise. Nowadays, I
do 2+2 - 3+3 rises, i. e. a punchdown in the middle, but rising at
around 85/90 F.

What comes to mind is that the "doubling" mechanism of a starter in a
glass is different from a loaf and when you do a rye mix bread as shown
on those pages, doubling would be very very good.

2. The bread is sour and tasty! The crust is thick, but more
crispy than chewy (but it hasn't cooled yet).

3. The crust is lightly burnt, and the insides slightly too
moist. The parchment turned black, curled up, and
smoldered. The bread was starting to blacken/char before
cooking time was up.

Darken, still brown makes good taste - blacken and charred better to be
avoided.


I surmise that my oven runs hot. Next time: oven thermometer.

Hey - my oven thermometer was never calibrated, if you calibrate yours,
the recipe won't work, watch out.



Samartha
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SD page is the http://samartha.net/SD/