I have a starter I started around Christmas 2018, and I've slowly gone from an obsession involving commercial yeast breads that began around Thanksgiving 2018 to a curiosity about using sourdough for all types of yeast baking (pan/loaf bread, other flavors/ingredients, etc.). After reading lots of blogs on sourdough starters, several articles on just using the amount leftover in the jar instead of discarding at each feeding, including the Flourish article on keeping a minimal amount of starter. I usually keep a very small amount of starter at a cool temp (I live in the Midwest and it's been a very cold winter and internal temps have been a little cooler too, especially closer to windows), feed it approx. every 24 hours, and let it grow from 30 grams to about 130-150, without discarding, just increasing feeding amounts every day, and then building the levain to the amount needed for my once/twice weekly baking. Sometimes, I may do a 2nd feeding if I don't think the fallen starter won't last until the next morning, and just move the feeding schedule later in the day to space feedings. I have a couple questions: 1. What happens if I use the starter before it reaches its peak? I know that it's best to use the starter at its peak, which for my starter is when it's just over doubled in volume. Mine has gotten as big as 2.5 times, so if it's doubled, then I see it as close to "peak" and it takes anywhere from 4-8 hours to peak. But sometimes...like tonight, I got a little impatient and I waited about 2.5 hours until the levain/starter volume I was growing for a challah recipe reached about 1.7 times its original volume, so it wasn't at peak, either by time or by volume. But it passed the float test and when I pulled the edge away from the container, there was evidence of a well-fermented dough/starter, with lots of bubbles being stretched btwn the gluten strands. But now, the dough still feels heavy and isn't puffing up much about 2 hours into the bulk ferment (recipe said at least 6 hours in a warm place which made me nervous with the eggs in it, so I figured I'll leave it on the table and put it in the fridge overnight before bed). DID I MIX THE DOUGH BEFORE THE STARTER WAS AT PEAK/READY? It's a challah dough, so it has several eggs and some vegetable oil, and I added the zest of 2 small oranges. I've made enriched dough with sourdough but followed a specific recipe that called for building a sweet stiff starter first. This recipe didn't...just said to use regular starter. 2. Wouldn't the sourdough starter at any stage--unfed, rising, peak, falling--once mixed into the dough, start eating through and fermenting the entire dough, flour and water being 2 of the main ingredients? If so, why does it matter that the starter is a peak? Wouldn't a smaller number of organisms just take longer to ferment the entire dough/prove it?

• Reply