As I have said before on this group, I have been making bread for probably
longer than some of you have been around in this world. I will NOT be
beaten by sourdough. I have read all the FAQs, studied all the step-by-step
pics and have still managed to make a hash of things.

Friday:
I started my loaf from the starter which has been getting better and better
by the day sitting by the woodburner. I started off the very wet mix using
the dough hook in my Kenwood. I then added salt by hand. Did a couple of
S&F's. Put to rise for an hour or so. Repeated the S&F's a couple more
times. Ended up with a ball of dough placed in an oiled bowl and put it in
the refrigerator overnight.
Saturday:
6am - took the dough out of fridge to bring up to room temperature - pressed
it with my finger and it sprung back perfectly. Yippee I thought. Did
another kneed and formed into a ball (never heard of a bread basket as
JohnGlop suggests 'cos I live in the UK) so just placed the loaf onto a
floured baking sheet and watched it try to rise. It spread rather than rose
like it had done in the bowl. I couldn't bear watching the spreading so I
popped it into the oven, probably far too soon. My cuts on the top of the
loaf did not open; the bread remained the same size as I put it into the
oven; the outside crust was so crusty I had to saw through it with the bread
knife (I had sprayed water in oven for the first 4 mins). The loaf was far
too brown not golden. I used Gas 8 for 15 mins then reduced the temperature
to Gas 6 for about 45 mins.

Yes the family ate the loaf because it was hot. The flavour was delicious
with a hint of sourness but the look of the bread would have disgraced
anyone's table. The texture was far too dense for a good loaf of bread. I
would never ever have served the thing up for non-members of the family.

I WILL NOT be beaten. If anyone can explain in simple terms where I have
gone wrong it would be much appreciated. I did wonder about actually
putting this very soft dough into a bread tin rather than use a baking
sheet. I have to add that I have won many prizes for good old fashioned
white and wholemeal bread and consider myself something of an expert in
producing these loaves.

--

Di

"The hurrier I am the behinder I get"

"Di Brookman" > wrote in message
...

> I WILL NOT be beaten. If anyone can explain in simple terms where I have
> gone wrong it would be much appreciated. I did wonder about actually
> putting this very soft dough into a bread tin rather than use a baking
> sheet. I have to add that I have won many prizes for good old fashioned
> white and wholemeal bread and consider myself something of an expert in
> producing these loaves.
>
Di:
What was the % hydration?
Graham

Di Brookman wrote:
> .....ure - pressed
> it with my finger and it sprung back perfectly. Yippee I thought. Did
> another kneed and formed into a ball (never heard of a bread basket as
> JohnGlop suggests 'cos I live in the UK)

HI Di,

These baskets are available here in the UK. My partner used to sell
them. They're very expensive though and any old cheap basket will do
the trick.


TG

graham wrote:
> "Di Brookman" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> I WILL NOT be beaten. If anyone can explain in simple terms where I
>> have gone wrong it would be much appreciated. Di

> What was the % hydration?
> Graham
Using Imperial measurements the sourdough recipe was:
8 fl ozs water
8oze fresh sourdough starter
2 ozs whole wheat flour (strong)
10 ozs Strong white flour
3/4 tspn salt

I presume you mean the amount of liquid to flour .... if I had been making
"ordinary" bread I would have used:
1 lb 2ozs flour
3/4 tspn salt
1 tspn fast active yeast
350 ml water
This obviously makes for a much stiffer dough because no extra hydration as
is incorporated in the sourdough starter.

--

Di

"The hurrier I am the behinder I get"

"Di Brookman" > wrote in message
...
> graham wrote:
>> "Di Brookman" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> I WILL NOT be beaten. If anyone can explain in simple terms where I
>>> have gone wrong it would be much appreciated. Di
>
>> What was the % hydration?
>> Graham
> Using Imperial measurements the sourdough recipe was:
> 8 fl ozs water
> 8oze fresh sourdough starter
> 2 ozs whole wheat flour (strong)
> 10 ozs Strong white flour
> 3/4 tspn salt
>
> I presume you mean the amount of liquid to flour .... if I had been making
> "ordinary" bread I would have used:
> 1 lb 2ozs flour
> 3/4 tspn salt
> 1 tspn fast active yeast
> 350 ml water
> This obviously makes for a much stiffer dough because no extra hydration
> as is incorporated in the sourdough starter.
>
A quick calculation shows that your normal bread is at about 69% but your
SD is at about 75%. That may be part of the problem. Have you tried Dick
Adams' recipe for Fluffy SD bread. It is a very good recipe! I have
converted it to weights from American cup measurement and could send you a
copy if you wish. In the original, DA reckons a hydration of slightly less
than 60%. I modified it slightly to take into account the very high protein
Canadian flour that I use.
Graham
gdotdolbyatshawdotca

graham wrote:
> A quick calculation shows that your normal bread is at about 69% but
> your SD is at about 75%. That may be part of the problem. Have you
> tried Dick Adams' recipe for Fluffy SD bread. It is a very good
> recipe! I have converted it to weights from American cup
> measurement and could send you a copy if you wish. In the original,
> DA reckons a hydration of slightly less than 60%. I modified it
> slightly to take into account the very high protein Canadian flour
> that I use. Graham
> gdotdolbyatshawdotca
Yes please Graham - will reply to you with my proper email address
Thanks
--

Di

"The hurrier I am the behinder I get"