- #1
FeDeX_LaTeX
Gold Member
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- 13
A brief introduction: About 6-7 months ago I got really interested in making various types of bread. The one bread that I really wanted to make was sourdough: it is one of the oldest breads in the world, and perhaps one of the most universally loved, described by some as being "the world's best toast". However, many don't make it because it is seen as too tedious having to feed the starter either every day (if left at room temp) or weekly (if left in the fridge).
My sourdough starter has been going strong for about 200 days now, with regular feedings of equal parts strong, white bread flour, with lukewarm water. I've made just over a dozen 400-800g loaves in total and the results have been slightly different each time.
The first time I made it was around day 10 or so. This created a bread that had a traditional sourdough taste, the kind that you would taste if you bought it in a shop. Great!
Around day 50, it tasted even more sour, but still good. There was a much greater depth of flavour. So far, so good.
It was after 120 days or so it started getting a bit strange. I followed my usual routine -- i.e. waiting a few hours after feeding my starter before using it (doing the "float test"), with no mishaps. Smell and crust were the same as usual. The difference came down to the taste. It had a distinct "caramelised onion" type of flavour, with a hint of the sourness I had previously got. It was a nice taste, but not what I expected at all. Apparently it's to be expected that the sourness of loaves will differ dramatically, but an onion flavour? What is the reason for this? Can this be put down to "the yeast is evolving"? Will the flavour change dramatically over time? Is this a sign that my starter is going bad or isn't being fed properly?
I should also note that I had previously never cleaned the container it has been in since August. It had developed a flaky crust around the rim, with a yellowy starter-coloured build-up around the sides. A couple of people online said this was normal and that it actually helped your starter thrive, but a few others disagreed. I never noticed any bad smells (only the typical yeasty/fermenting smell before feeding, and sweet/milky smell after feeding), and it doesn't look like any bad yeast has got mixed in with my starter. I have since scrubbed all the build-up out of the container now. Could this has been the reason for the taste?
I do store my starter in a fridge, but not near to any onions. The recipe I've been using for the past 6 months is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/how_to_make_sourdough_08213
My sourdough starter has been going strong for about 200 days now, with regular feedings of equal parts strong, white bread flour, with lukewarm water. I've made just over a dozen 400-800g loaves in total and the results have been slightly different each time.
The first time I made it was around day 10 or so. This created a bread that had a traditional sourdough taste, the kind that you would taste if you bought it in a shop. Great!
Around day 50, it tasted even more sour, but still good. There was a much greater depth of flavour. So far, so good.
It was after 120 days or so it started getting a bit strange. I followed my usual routine -- i.e. waiting a few hours after feeding my starter before using it (doing the "float test"), with no mishaps. Smell and crust were the same as usual. The difference came down to the taste. It had a distinct "caramelised onion" type of flavour, with a hint of the sourness I had previously got. It was a nice taste, but not what I expected at all. Apparently it's to be expected that the sourness of loaves will differ dramatically, but an onion flavour? What is the reason for this? Can this be put down to "the yeast is evolving"? Will the flavour change dramatically over time? Is this a sign that my starter is going bad or isn't being fed properly?
I should also note that I had previously never cleaned the container it has been in since August. It had developed a flaky crust around the rim, with a yellowy starter-coloured build-up around the sides. A couple of people online said this was normal and that it actually helped your starter thrive, but a few others disagreed. I never noticed any bad smells (only the typical yeasty/fermenting smell before feeding, and sweet/milky smell after feeding), and it doesn't look like any bad yeast has got mixed in with my starter. I have since scrubbed all the build-up out of the container now. Could this has been the reason for the taste?
I do store my starter in a fridge, but not near to any onions. The recipe I've been using for the past 6 months is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/how_to_make_sourdough_08213