Thank you very much for your messages. Can you recommend a schedule for feeding my starter to bake bread once a week? This is what I currently do, but it’s not quite working out, i.e. the bread doesn’t rise to its fullest, and there aren’t big holes in the bread crumb.
= keep starter in fridge, feeding it on Monday and Thu night
- on Thu night, take some starter from the fridge and start a new starter jar and keep it on the kitchen table
- feed the starter on the kitchen table again on Fri morning
- Friday evening, make the levain from the starter on the kitchen table (around midnight)
- Sat morning, do the autolyse and bulk fermentation (starts around 7-8am)
- around 12pm, shape loaves, do the second Fermentation for 3-4 hours, and bake the first loaf. Put the other loaf in the fridge
The issue I have is after about 7-8 hours, the levain does not pass the float test, even though it’s risen 2x in the jar. I can’t tell whether it’s on its way to deflate, or it will continue to inflate. At what point does it pass the float test? Can you recommend a better schedule? Thank you so much for your help. I was able to buy your artisan french bread flour from your website, and your AP at the supermarket the other day. I am thrilled :). Thank you for your incredible website and the answers you give!
May 17, 2020 at 11:05am
In reply to Hi there! You will want to… by kmayerovitch
Thank you very much for your messages. Can you recommend a schedule for feeding my starter to bake bread once a week? This is what I currently do, but it’s not quite working out, i.e. the bread doesn’t rise to its fullest, and there aren’t big holes in the bread crumb.
= keep starter in fridge, feeding it on Monday and Thu night
- on Thu night, take some starter from the fridge and start a new starter jar and keep it on the kitchen table
- feed the starter on the kitchen table again on Fri morning
- Friday evening, make the levain from the starter on the kitchen table (around midnight)
- Sat morning, do the autolyse and bulk fermentation (starts around 7-8am)
- around 12pm, shape loaves, do the second Fermentation for 3-4 hours, and bake the first loaf. Put the other loaf in the fridge
The issue I have is after about 7-8 hours, the levain does not pass the float test, even though it’s risen 2x in the jar. I can’t tell whether it’s on its way to deflate, or it will continue to inflate. At what point does it pass the float test? Can you recommend a better schedule? Thank you so much for your help. I was able to buy your artisan french bread flour from your website, and your AP at the supermarket the other day. I am thrilled :). Thank you for your incredible website and the answers you give!