diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index bcdb31f..b84978b 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ The book is a work in progress. This represents the current status: * ✅ Enzymes * ✅ Microorganisms * ✅ Making a starter -* ❌ Sourdough starter types +* ✅ Sourdough starter types * ❌ Flour types * ❌ Bread types * ❌ Wheat sourdough diff --git a/book/book.tex b/book/book.tex index d9edcc5..db3f30e 100644 --- a/book/book.tex +++ b/book/book.tex @@ -68,10 +68,7 @@ \input{sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter} \chapter{Sourdough starter types} -\section{The regular starter} -\section{Stiff starter} -\section{Liquid starter} -\section{Lievito madre} +\input{sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-types} \chapter{Flour types} \section{Wheat like} diff --git a/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-liquid.jpg b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-liquid.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..787f680 Binary files /dev/null and b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-liquid.jpg differ diff --git a/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-stiff.jpg b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-stiff.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..55ed7f9 Binary files /dev/null and b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-stiff.jpg differ diff --git a/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-types.tex b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-types.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a10c09e --- /dev/null +++ b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter-types.tex @@ -0,0 +1,259 @@ +In this chapter of the book we will have a closer look +at different sourdough starter types and their respective +traits. + +\begin{table}[htp!] +\centering +\resizebox{\textwidth}{!}{% +\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|r|l|} +\hline +\textbf{Starter type} & \textbf{Hydration in \%} & \textbf{Flour type} & \multicolumn{1}{l|}{\textbf{Yeast activity}} & \textbf{Bacterial activity} \\ \hline +Regular & 100 & Strong wheat flour & Balanced & Balanced \\ \hline +Liquid & 500 & Very strong wheat flour & Minimal & High \\ \hline +Stiff & 50-60 & All wheat flour & High & Low \\ \hline +\end{tabular}% +} +\caption{\label{tab:starter-types-comparison}A comparison of different sourdough starter types} +\end{table} + +Depending on the flour you have at hand the type of starter changes. With more +bacterial activity you have more gluten consumption of your microbes. So if +you want to bake a free standing loaf you need a flour with more gluten. The +more gluten you have the more of it can be broken down whilst still maintaining +dough integrity. If you live in a country where the climate to grow wheat +isn't ideal and you only have weaker flours, then a stiff sourdough starter +could be advised. The stiff sourdough starter will improve yeast activity and +reduce bacterial activity. If you are a chaser of a very sour bread and have a +very strong wheat flour then you can try to play with a liquid sourdough +starter. The key difference between all of the starters is how much water +is used in the starter. The regular starter having a 1:1 relationship of flour +to water. The liquid starter has a 5:1 water to flour ratio and the stiff +starter has half the flour as water. + +You can change your starter type by just adjusting the feeding ratio of how +much flour and water you use. I frequently changed my starter type from +regular to liquid and then back to a stiff starter. After changing the +environment of your microbes apply feedings at the same ratio over a couple of +days so that they can adapt to the new environment. I could already see +changes after a single feeding, but I recommend 2 to 3 feedings, one feeding per +day to see a stronger effect. + +Your dough is generally just a big sourdough starter. So your starter is going +to adapt and regrow inside of your main dough. But you can influence the +properties that your starter carries over to your main dough. If you have more +bacterial fermentation then your dough will also have slightly more bacterial +fermentation. If you have more yeast fermentation then your main dough will +have slightly more yeast fermentation. This is important to know when you are +working with a more mature unfed starter. Let's say your starter had last been +fed 48 hours ago, then chances are your bacteria is very active while the +yeast could be dormant. In such a case you can skip feeding your starter +before making another dough. Just use a very tiny amount of starter. For 1000g +of flour I would take around 10g of starter (1 percent in terms of baker's +math). If my starter is very young and had just been fed 6 to 8 hours ago I might +end up going up to 20 percent of starter. Remember that your dough is nothing +else other than a big starter. It will tremendously help you to figure out +your best next steps. + +\section{Regular starter} + +\begin{figure}[!htb] + \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{sourdough-starter.jpg} + \caption{A regular sourdough starter at 100 percent hydration fed with rye flour} + \label{fig:regular-sourdough-starter} +\end{figure} + +The regular sourdough starter is made at a hydration of around 100 percent. +This means the starter has equal parts of flour and water. This is the most +common and must universal sourdough starter there is. The starter has a good +balance of yeast and bacteria. After a feeding the volume increases and +increases. After it reached a certain peak it will start to collapse again. + +The best way to judge whether the starter is ready is to look at signs such as +pockets on the edges of your container. Also use the nose to to evaluate the +smell of your starter. If you feel that the starter doesn't perform in a +desirable way chances are that your yeast and bacteria ratios are off. In that +case frequently daily feedings using a 1:5:5 (starter:flour:water) ratio will +help. + +The starter is perfect to use when utilizing stronger wheat or spelt flours. +It also nicely works with rye, emmer or einkorn. If you only have a weak flour +at hand with less gluten this starter might cause issue. As you tend to have +quite some bacterial activity gluten is going to be broken down fast. When +using the starter use around 1 to 20 percent starter based on the flour of your +dough. + +Depending on the bacteria cultivated your starter either has a lactic (dairy), +a vinegary (acetic) or mix of both flavour profile. You can adjust your +starter's flavour by changing the type to a liquid starter. + +\section{Liquid starter} + +\begin{figure}[!htb] + \centering + \includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth]{sourdough-starter-liquid.jpg} + \caption{A liquid sourdough starter where the flour separates from the water. Bubbles indicate + that is ready to be used.} + \label{fig:liquid-sourdough-starter} +\end{figure} + +The liquid starter is made at a hydration of around 500 percent. This means +the starter has way more water than flour. The additional layer of water on +top of the flour changes the microbiome of your starter. + +By introducing this layer of water less oxygen is available throughout the +course of fermentation. This means that your starter will no longer be +producing acetic acid. The heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria will thrive +in this environment. This is a neat little trick to change your starter's +flavour profile from vinegary to lactic. Your starter is going to develop +dairy creamy notes. Interesting when changing the hydration again your starter +is going to maintain the liquid starter flavor profile, but then benefit again +from enhanced yeast activity. The liquid starter conversion is non reversible. +So ideally keep a backup of your starter before. + +To commence with the +conversion simply take around 1 gram of your starter, mix with 5g flour and +25g water. Stir everything together properly. After a few minutes the flour is +going to start settling in at the bottom of your jar. Repeat this process over +a few days. Shake the starter gently to see if you can see tiny CO2 bubbles +moving in the liquid. This is a good sign that your starter is ready. Use your +nose to smell the starter. It should have a creamy dairy flavor note. + +As you have more bacterial activity this starter works best with a very strong +flour that can withstand a long fermentation period. Using this starter with a +weak wheat flour will not work. If you do not care about baking a free +standing loaf then you can easily use this starter together with a loaf pan. +This starter also works great when making a hearty pancake dough. To use it I +shake the starter container until I see all ingredients are homogenized. Then +I use around 5 percent of it in terms of baker's math. So for 1000g of flour +that's around 50 grams of liquid starter. As it is very liquid you have to +include the 50 grams in your liquid calculation. I typically treat the starter +directly as liquid in the recipes. So if the recipe calls for 600 grams of water +and I use 50 grams of starter, then I would proceed and only use 550 grams of +water. + +This type of starter is also an excellent mold combatant. As you are removing +oxygen from the equation aerobic mold can not properly grow. If your starter +has a mold problem then the liquid conversion could be the remedy. Take a +piece of your starter where you suspect no mold growth. Apply the conversion +as mentioned before. The mold will likely sporulate as it runs out of food. +With each new feeding you are reducing the mold spores. The spores can no +longe reactivate as they can not do so in the anaerobic conditions. + +The liquid on top of your starter is an excellent resource that you could use +to make sauces. If you feel you would like to add a little bit of acidity, +drain the liquid part on your starter and use it. I have used it numerous +times to make lactofermented hot sauces. + +\section{Stiff starter} + +\begin{figure}[!htb] + \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{sourdough-starter-stiff.jpg} + \caption{A stiff sourdough starter that I used to make a Stollen dough for christmas. Note + the bubbles on the edge of the container. The dough does not fall out of the jar.} + \label{fig:stiff-sourdough-starter} +\end{figure} + +The stiff starter is the driest of all the starters. It has a hydration of +around 50 to 60 percent. So for 100 grams of flour you are using around 60 to +60 grams of water. + +In the stiffer environment the yeast thrives more. This means you will have +more CO2 production and less acid production. In my tests this is a game +changer especially if you are using weaker gluten flours. The wheat flours in +my home country Germany tend to be lower in gluten. For wheat to build gluten warm conditions +are preferred (SOURCE NEEDED). When following recipes from other bakers I +could never achieve similar results. When following timings my doughs would +simply collapse and become super sticky. Only when I started to buy more +expensive wheat flour my results started to change. As not everyone can afford +these special baking flours and due their limited availability I stumbled upon the +stiff sourdough starter. I made several tests where I used the same amount of +starter and flour. I only changed the hydration between all the starters. I +would then proceed and place a balloon on top of each of the jars. The stiff +starter jar was clearly inflated the most. On place 2 the regular starter +followed. On place three the liquid starter followed with way less CO2 +production. + +I then proceeded and bought a cheap low cake flour in my nearby supermarket. +This flour before had caused me massive headache before. I made a sourdough bread +exactly how I would normally do. I had to reduce the hydration a bit as a low +gluten flour does not soak up as much water. Then I replaced the starter with +the stiff starter. The dough felt amazing and was suddenly able to withstand a +much longer fermentation period. The bread had great oven spring and tasted +very mild. I am still yet to find a proper explanation why the yeast part of +the dough is more active. Maybe it is not. It could also be that the bacteria +is inhibited by the lack of water. + +When making the stiff sourdough starter start with using around 50 percent +water. If you are using a whole wheat flour, or a strong flour consider going +up to 60 percent. All the ingredients should mix together very well. There +should be no crumbly flour left. This is a common mistake I have seen when +people tried to make the stiff starter. Yes it should be dry, but not to a +point where it is a brick of cement. If you ever made a pasta dough, this is +exactly the same way how the dough should feel like. + +To evaluate whether your stiff starter is ready look for a dome. Also look for +pockets of air on the edges of your container. Use your nose to smell the +starter. It should have a mild smell. It also tends to smell way more +alcoholic than the other starters. + +When using the starter use around 1 to 20 percent depending on the ripeness of +your starter. In summer times I typically use around 10 percent and in winter +times around 20 percent. This way you can also control the fermentation speed. +Mixing the starter can be a little bit annoying as it hardly homogenises with +the rest of the dough. In this case you can try to dissolve the starter in the +water you are about to use for your dough. This will make mixing a lot easier. + + +\section{Lievito madre or pasta madre} + +The Lievito madre also known as pasta madre belongs to the same category as +the stiff sourdough starter. After conducting hours of research I could not +find a difference in pasta madre and lievito madre. Both of terms seem to be +used interchangeably in literature. + +In many recipes this starter is made directly +from dried or fresh fruits. You can make a starter also from leaves from your +garden. As described before the wild yeast and bacteria consume the glucose +from the plants leaves. All the options work. When making a starter directly +from dried fruits you sometimes lack the bacterial part of the fermentation. +The acidity is very important in order to clean your starter from possible +pathogens. If you decide to make your starter from fruits make sure it also +acidifies properly when making a dough. A tool such as a pH meter can be of +optimal help. Generally the lower the pH the higher the acidity. The acidity +should be below 4.2 to know that your starter produces sufficient acidity. + +Some bakers cleanse the lievito madre in a bath of water. This is supposed to +remove excess acidity. In my own experiments I have not been able to confirm +this methodology. The acidity remains the same. The only reason this could +make sense is if you also tried to boost anaerobic microorganisms. However then the +starter would need to remain in this environment for quite some time and not just +a few hours. + +Baking with sourdough is simple. It's just flour and water. When seeing a recipe +from an experienced baker you wonder, wait, that's it? There is nothing more +to it? I feel that this might be the reason why some bakers have so complicated +feeding procedures. They resort to several feedings per day at a certain given ratio. +This makes the baker feel a little more elitist. Of course over time as +more and more people follow this procedure it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. +The more experienced you become the higher the chances are that a bogus starter +feeding guide will reward you with beautiful results. The reason however is +not in the starter routine. The reason is that you better understand the fermentation +and become better at reading the signs of your dough. + +If I had one starter type to choose I would go for the stiff starter. In many cases +it will provide you with consistent great results with little effort. +In my experience you can make any yeast based dough and just replace +the yeast directly with the stiff sourdough starter. You will be able +to achieve even better results with the stiff starter. + +Lastly no matter which starter type you choose, you can control how sour +you want your dough to be. The longer you push the fermentation the more +acidity is going to be piled up. The only difference is that for a given +volume increase the stiff starter will produce the least acidity. So for a +volume increase of 100 percent, the liquid starter has produced most acidity, +followed by the regular starter and then the stiff starter. If you wait long +enough the stiff starter will have produced the same amount of acidity as the +other starters. But before doing so it also has produced a lot more CO2. If +you like the sour flavour you have to push your fermentation longer. This also +means you either need to bake in a loaf pan or have a very strong gluten flour +that is able to withstand long fermentation times. diff --git a/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter.tex b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter.tex index b7aad58..9074eaf 100644 --- a/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter.tex +++ b/book/sourdough-starter/sourdough-starter.tex @@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ is a little bit of patience. The flour you should use to setup your starter is ideally a whole flour. You could use whole wheat, whole rye, whole spelt or any other flour you have. In fact gluten free flours such -as rice or corn would also work. +as rice or corn would also work. Don't worry, you can +change the flour later. Use whatever whole flour you +already have at hand. Your flour is contaminated with millions of microbes. As explained before in the chapter about wild yeast and bacteria, these