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Patienceisa virtue…that I certainly dont have.
Experts in This Article
Jurgen Davidisthe director of pastry research and development at theInstitute of Culinary Education.
For me,making sourdoughstarter for the first time gave the term a food baby new meaning.
My starter was alsoveryfussy when it came to changes to its environmentor my own routine.
That said, as the expression goes, good things dont (always) come easy.
And yes: While it was quite the journey, I wouldnt want it any other way.
Jürgen Davidisthe director of pastry research and development at theInstitute of Culinary Education.
Plain and simple, its a near-perfect food group.
And butter aside, sourdoughs packed with gut-healthy properties thatnutrition expertsandgastroenterologistscant get enough of thanks to its natural probiotics.
So, why on earth would I choose to do so?
Think: Sourdough pizza, pancakes, muffinsthe list goes onon tap with just a few hours notice.
That said, this isnt my first sourdough rodeo.
Of course, he was ready with some wise words and plenty of sourdough wisdom.
By this, I mean gathering the right tools and ingredients.
Ill break it down and share my favorite products I used throughout the process.
Plus, a whole lot of patience.
Jürgen Davidisthe director of pastry research and development at theInstitute of Culinary Education.
According to David, smell is one of the most important indicators that your sourdough starter is ready.
The starter will have a strong, acidic, sour smell, like very intense yeast.
This is due to the fermentation at work here, he says.
As the starter evolves, the odors will become more pronounced.
To mitigate the stench, David suggests simply restoring the balance.
The liquid is harmless and can be stirred into the starter for a more acidic flavor or discarded.
To restore the balance of the starter, feed it on a regular basis again, he says.
This will help the starter regain its pleasant, slightly acidic sourdough smell.
In addition to smell, appearance can help indicate the readiness of the starter.
The bubblier it is, the more active the fermentation has become.
An active starter will float in water because of its carbon dioxide content, David says.
Meaning that its certainly not an overnight project.
It can be ready in as soon as a week, or it can take three weeks.
It all depends on the environment and ingredients, David says.
An active starter will last a lifetime if maintained properly.
Lets do this, buddy.
First and foremost, always, always, always use filtered water.
Next, kindly ensureIm begging youthat the flour you use is unbleached.
Highly-processed flour can result in a weak starter or, worse, lead to its demise.
After several (failed) attempts to balance it out, I ultimately decided to start over.
And for those doubting me, round two was, in fact, a success.
Always, always, always use filtered water.
Next, like ensureIm begging youthat the flour you use is unbleached.
I switched over to this ratio for two feedings after day 11, which did the trick.
By day 13, we had a bubbly, thick starter that passed the float test with flying colors.
Lastly, its critical to ensure youre feeding your starter on a regular basis and schedule.
For example, every day at noon.
Fortunately, theres an end in sight.
(This can occur if it hasnt been fed for a while.)
At least, thats how I feltand Ive got the receipts (pictures) to prove it.
Come on, how gorgeous is she?
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