Has anybody experimented with sourdough baking?

King Arthur has sourdough starter and I'm interested in trying it out. I didn't get it while we were up there because of trying to get it home (even though we did have a cooler with us). I don't want to order it until we come back from our mini-vacation in October because of caring for the starter (it needs to be fed regularly). I have a $20 gift card to KA and I also have a $10 coupon off a $50 order (wish I would have had that before we went to KA last weekend). And I want to wait until the weather cools down a bit....not til winter, but it needs to be cooler than it is right now.

I've done the Amish friendship breads and all that stuff....never had any trouble with those starters and got some pretty good bread from them. I've made my own sourdough starters and didn't have any trouble with them. But I didn't get that yeastiness that I associate with really good sourdough. There's a "tang" to a good hunk of sourdough bread that's decadently good. I don't get that with my doughs.

You know, there's sourdough bread. Sourdough soft pretzels. Sourdough pizza crust. Waffles. And bagels! Sourdough bagels! Yum!

Has anybody done anything with sourdough starters? Any tips or hints I should know about?

Thanks!

Pam, I made a sourdough bread as a regular thing before I had to go gluten free. I have a hair appointment this morning. I can connect with you later and tell you how to do the starter and bread. Instant potato flakes are in the ingredients for the starter and the bread is sinful. It can be adjusted to make cinnamon bread too. Let me know if you want to hear the rest.

I don't know if it's true or not but I have heard of some bakeries having starters from years back that they are still using.   I remember one of Alton Brown's Good Eats shows on bread baking he did a little explanation about sourdoughs.  He said that sourdoughs are different in different parts of the country because the naturally occurring organisms that make them work is different.  That is why certain areas like San Francisco are known for their sourdoughs.

I don't even know what sour bread is.

Stewball said:

I don't even know what sour bread is.

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Sourdough is a bread that uses naturally occurring bacteria and yeast for leavening.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourdough   It takes longer to get started because of not using the bakers yeast that can be bought.  Once it's started you can keep it going by adding more flour and water.  The bread does have a distinctive sour taste which varies by region.  

There are starters that are supposed to be over 100 years old but I find that difficult to believe.  I  know it's possible in theory but it would have to be passed down through multiple generations and each generation kept refreshing it to keep it going.  Possible but I find it hard to believe.

Mmmm. I'm looking forward to hearing the results of the sourdough experiment. Most of the commercial ones just aren't tangy enough for my taste. What I wouldn't do to get a pinch of the starter dough over at the Boudin bakery in San Francisco.
Years ago, my Dad used to pick up loaves of their bread at the airport shops while he was in SF for business. They were so good, Mom and I mail ordered more about once a month. They've supposedly been using the same mother dough since the Gold Rush. Any recipe I've tried just doesn't compare.

I used to make sourdough a lot, and have been thinking about making some sourdough buns actually.

You don't need to go and buy a starter, you can make your own. My Mom made her own. And I've always made my own. It's very easy to make.  Just requires yeast, warm water, flour and a bit of sugar.  To get that "tang" let it ferment longer.

Here is how you do it:

http://www.food.com/recipe/sourdough-bread-starter-13750

And here is everything you wanted to know and then some about sourdough starters.  Much of it is over thinking. I just do what the above link directs.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/SourdoughStarter.htm

Denice said:

Sourdough is a bread that uses naturally occurring bacteria and yeast for leavening.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourdough  It takes longer to get started because of not using the bakers yeast that can be bought.  Once it's started you can keep it going by adding more flour and water.  The bread does have a distinctive sour taste which varies by region.  

There are starters that are supposed to be over 100 years old but I find that difficult to believe.  I  know it's possible in theory but it would have to be passed down through multiple generations and each generation kept refreshing it to keep it going.  Possible but I find it hard to believe.

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Thank you very much for your explanation.
What are starters?

Stewball said:

Thank you very much for your explanation.
What are starters?

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It's a fermented liquid or stiff dough that is added to your regular bread dough to make sourdough bread.  The fermented dough has a sour taste to it, so the bread it is used in with also have a sour/tangy taste.  The fermentation comes from yeast.

Natalie_ca said:

It's a fermented liquid or stiff dough that is added to your regular bread dough to make sourdough bread.  The fermented dough has a sour taste to it, so the bread it is used in with also have a sour/tangy taste.  The fermentation comes from yeast.

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Thank you as well for the explanation.
Is that what's called a starter?

San Francisco seems to be THE place for sourdough. 

Many of my bread books have sections on sourdough baking: on the starters and the various recipes that you can use with your starters. I used to have a starter years ago, but let it go. I realize now that I could have frozen it, although it can't be frozen forever. I know I can make my own starter, but it doesn't have the tang that I'm looking for. I've also made my own biga and my own poolish to use as "starter" for bread. It's the same concept, only it's made about 24 to 48 hours ahead of making the actual bread.

Denice, there are stories of 100-year old starters.....here is one:  http://www.sourdough.co.uk/the-myth-of-hundred-year-old-sourdough/  And isn't that how some of the old cowboy cooks baked breads? I think it is; they used sourdough. It's really very interesting.

Barbara, I would love to learn about your starter with potato flakes. Thank you!

Cinnamon bread, that reminds me of a tip I learned that I wanted to share with you all: When we were taking that class at King Arthur, the instructor said that you should not brush your rolled-out dough (for sticky buns and cinnamon bread) with butter. Well, that seemed just wrong to me. But what she said made sense. Butter does not act like a good glue to glue the ends together. Water is better. So you should brush your sticky bun or cinnamon bread dough with water, then simply mix the brown sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle that over the water. The water will glue the ends together. It did work well when we did it, but well, butter just tastes better.   I think the next time I make sticky buns, I am going to brush my softened butter over the rolled-out dough. But when I get to the ends of the dough, I'll try brushing that area with water instead to help glue my ends together. 

Natalie_CA, thanks for the links! Sourdough buns sound yummy. 

The reason SF sourdough is so yummy is due to the very specific yeasts and bacteria in the air which only occur in that area.  It IS far superior to any I've had elsewhere.

And yes, there are "mothers" (starters) which are ancient.  I was just reading an article asking various chefs how old theirs was and most went back decades.  The babying of these is incredibly time consuming because timing is everything to maintain them.  

One can achieve a nice sourdough with a new starter but for really deep, complex flavor an older mother is needed.

I read an article where they did a blind taste test with San Francisco sourdough and sourdough from La Brea bakery in Los Angeles and La Brea won.  The San Francisco bakers were upset by that so they redid the test and La Brea won again.  I am thinking that the tasters were probably 'regular' people rather than people who really know sourdough which is why La Brea won.  I know a sourdough has to be mild for me to like it, if it's over the top with sourness it's too much for me.  I am sure that the ones with a more sour taste are probably considered better by people who are really into sourdough.  http://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.php?content=sfsd1

Stewball said:

Thank you as well for the explanation.
Is that what's called a starter?

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Yes. It's some sour liquid or solid dough that is added to regular dough to make the end bread product taste sour.  You can buy it in any bakery or grocery store. Bread or buns.  Buy a bun and try it. You'll probably love it. 

So......a lady on a really neat food board that I post on told me today that she just received the latest KA catalog. Buy the sourdough ceramic crock and you get the starter free! It's a sign. I'm telling you, it's a sign. I bought the crock (and got the free starter), sourdough flavor, and some citric acid (not only for my sourdough, but citric acid comes in handy for many recipes and such. I also bought a few other things that I've been wanting. Got it all for less than $30 with the $10 coupon, the free starter, and my $20 gift card. 

I was going to wait til we came home from vacation in October, but til then, the sale is done. Guess I'll be able to play sooner than I thought I would. Have I mentioned that I love playing with yeast dough? 

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/

You will need to tell us how it goes.  All this talk about fall stews and sourdough bread got me to get out the bread machine.  It's going now, nothing fancy just basic white bread.

Yeah, I'm excited about it. How was your  bread, Denice? There is nothing like the smell of good homemade bread in the house.

blueyedgirl5946 said:

Pam, I made a sourdough bread as a regular thing before I had to go gluten free. I have a hair appointment this morning. I can connect with you later and tell you how to do the starter and bread. Instant potato flakes are in the ingredients for the starter and the bread is sinful. It can be adjusted to make cinnamon bread too. Let me know if you want to hear the rest.

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Winchester

Did you see my post here?

blueyedgirl5946 said:

@Winchester

Did you see my post here?

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Yes, Barbara. I had responded, saying that I would like to see how you did your starter with the potato flakes....I know it's here in one of my posts. Honest! 

Winchester said:

Yes, Barbara. I had responded, saying that I would like to see how you did your starter with the potato flakes....I know it's here in one of my posts. Honest! 

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Winchester Yes, I see it now. I have a busy day with company coming today. But I won't forget to get it to you, the information on the sourdough starter that is fed with potato flakes.