Additional comment on King Arthur sour dough starter: worked fine for whole wheat bread

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I noticed in the Chocolate Cherry Bread Fiasco thread that a metal bowl coming in contact with the starter was potentially blamed for my non-rising Lump-o-Dough. Actually, I'm pretty sure it was either the lack of 2 tsp of fresh yeast or not enough kneading. I also subbed AP flour plus several tsps of pure gluten for the bread flour, but that substitution has never failed me before.

During the multiple "take half and toss" steps while making Mr. White Starter, I took the first unused half and started feeding whole wheat flour to that. It's the same concept that Nancy Silverton uses in her multi-page recipe for starters.

After the CCBF, I still had the gall to try her Whole Wheat Bread, which is really more like One-Fourth Whole Wheat Bread. This bread ONLY needed starter (not fresh yeast as well) and turned out high, crispy and perfect, with a slight tang from the King Arthur sourdough starter. Lovely with lentil soup.

So I don't think the starter coming in contact with metal was the problem. I'm pretty sure the baker was the problem.

The remaining 4 containers of starter siblings went into the garbage disposal after Larry begged me to stop making bread.

 
Marilyn, you need additional yeast....

when adding heavy ingredients like chocolate and cherries.

If you have a glass bowl, or better yet, a plastic bucket with lid, use that for a rising container.
I like the one that KA sells that has the volume measures on the side, but you can use any bucket.

 
judy, I grew the starters in glass bowls and rose the dough in a handmade ceramic bowl

(Not for any chemical reaction reason...just because it's a pretty bowl. And isn't THAT applying pure scientific logic!)

The only time metal was used was the KA bowl for the kneading step. This was the first time I used the dough hook and maybe it wasn't enough kneading?

Also there is no fresh yeast down here so I substituted that..apparently to no avail. Such a bummer when the event took up so much time--with nothing to show for it.

I'm pretty sure I'm done with breads in general and starters in particular.

 
Marilyn, I made two different recipes with my sourdough starter...

I made a basic white and a Heidelberg Rye. Both turned out to beyond my wildest dreams perfection. I promptly forgave the beast living in my kitchen and ask forgiveness for all the nasty names I called it. I took some photos when the bread came out of the oven. They're at home and I'll post them later this evening.

For the Heidelberg Rye, I used the KA Heidelberg Rye booster and it gave amazing results. I also covered the rye with the KA artisan bread seed blend and it was a stunning presentation.

 
Confessions of another yeast/starter challenged person-I resorted to the website baking911 to get

the conversion ratios for yeast cakes vs active dry yeast pkgs last week when I was attempting an old recipe of my Mom's that called for the also non-existent in NJ yeast cake. smileys/frown.gif

Those gruyere rolls also needed a starter dough, the recipe called for instant yeast and the website was really helpful, as I didn't have instant yeast either.
smileys/frown.gif

 
Yours worked out because MoNJ and I sucked up all the bad yeast Karma out there.

Now we're fermentedly scarred for life.

I hope your sandwich was worth it.

 
following up...

forgot the pix. Sorry! Also the recipe is at home, it is a light sourdough German rye, typical of what you would find in southern Germany and Austria.

I really let those starters and doughs take their sweet time raising. I did an overnight and a 5 hour 2nd raising and they raised up quite impressively. I'll post the recipe I used tonight (if the old brain can remember).

One thing, I did use special ingredients from KA, I'll include the info on those. It really made a difference in re-creating that wonderful southern German sourdough rye taste!

 
LOL, no problem taking one for this team smileys/smile.gif

i still intend to make a light airy bread--someday!!! my new year's resolution.
Thanks Richard-- I will make sure I have the "goods" before I attempt again!

 
Larry will hate me for this, but...have you tried buying yeast from a supermarket in-store bakery?

Mom does a quite a bit of baking with fresh yeast and buys hers just over the bakery counter. They sell it to her in blocks - oh, maybe 1/2 pound in size. She cuts it into portions, uses whatever she needs at the time, and freezes the remaining pieces, individually, for later use.

 
Are you sure Larry didn't beat you to them ;o) I guess our bakers, here in Canada, are of the ...

...kinder, gentler variety. Or maybe my mom is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to obtaining fresh yeast. (I could send Mom down there to persuade them!)

Kidding aside, Mom's had no problems obtaining fresh yeast, over the years, just from whatever grocery store she's shopping at, provided they use yeast at their bakery.

So sorry this didn't help. Maybe you and fresh yeast just weren't meant to meet?

 
Ruth, I've lucked out in other states, like NJ. A french baker sold me some fresh there. In my

home town (Pittsburgh, PA) you can buy it in any grocery store because there are so many ethnic groups in the area and it gets used up for all the different pastries and breads. That's what I grew up using and I do think even the aroma is different.

Down here in Florida, it molds too fast and so the stores won't carry it....even the health food stores in our area.

 
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