Starter - Biga Recipes?
 

I have been using a starter routinely when baking, especially for pizza and
focaccia. I make a batch of starter, by using a very small amount of yeast
per flour, and letting it rise all day, until the rising starter falls back
on itself. I then continue on with dough preparation using a portion of
starter in the final dough.
Does anyone have a great starter recipe, or starter ideas the rest of us
haven't thought of? What's the longest you have let it sit in the frig, and
then successfully used it in the bread following? After what time does the
starter have an adverse effect on what you are baking? Can you use the same
ratio of water/flour in the starter as in the final dough? This makes life
much easier when you take something unlabeled out of the frig. Does anyone
add salt to their starter? I don't. I suppose it wouldn't do anything other
than slow starter fermentation.
What has worked, and what hasnn't? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Kent

Starter - Biga Recipes?
 

On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 10:35:42 -0700, Kent wrote:


> Does anyone have a great starter recipe, or starter ideas the rest of us
> haven't thought of?

Use Apple juice instead of water. Cover bread with p.paper 1/2 way
through because the added sugar will cause very deep browning.

>What's the longest you have let it sit in the frig, and
> then successfully used it in the bread following?

If you keep feeding it, years.. I let straight mixed sough sit in frig for
48 hours.. longest .. 10 days (V. GOOD!!!). The 10 day dough was on the
brink of breakdown however but had enough structure to give a decent
spring.

> After what time does the
> starter have an adverse effect on what you are baking?

For me it's when the starter become either dead (read: no go) or too
acidic (distroys gluten development in final dough).

> Can you use the same
> ratio of water/flour in the starter as in the final dough?

If the starter is alive you can use most any ratio, I used 50/50 for a
while when i did sourdough.

> Does anyone add salt to their starter?

I never have but have seen some that do.. don't know why other than to
slow everything down as you say.

> What has worked, and what hasnn't?

Retarding (friging) the entire dough (24-36 hrs) is easier and better
tasting than using a 12hr. starter