Barb at King Arthur

January 21, 2022 at 10:29am

In reply to by Bonnie (not verified)

Hi Bonnie, the issue with focusing too much on flavor when maintaining your starter is that this can make it more difficult for the yeast to remain active and thrive, so you could end up with very sour, very flat bread. In terms of starter maintenance we recommend feeding regularly and consistently, so that both the yeast and the Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) populations are plentiful and robust when it comes time to make your bread. It's during the preferment and dough stages of development that you can zero in on flavor development without risking the vigor of your starter. Factors that tend to contribute to more sour flavor in your bread include making a totally naturally leavened recipe, using a liquid preferment, substituting 10-15% whole grain flour (particularly whole rye flour) for some of the white flour in the recipe, along with a warm (78-82F) bulk ferment, followed by refrigeration, if you desire. While refrigerating the dough won't always lead to more sour flavor, it is more likely to do so when it's preceded by a warm bulk ferment. In any case, refrigeration tends to affect the balance of acetic acid and lactic acid produced, which can give your bread a more complex flavor profile. Here are a few recipes that are likely to deliver more sour flavor: Vermont Sourdough, Pain de CampagneNo Knead Sourdough, Extra Tangy Sourdough. You'll notice that each of these recipes has a different timeline and incorporates different techniques. That's what's I love about sourdough baking; there are so many ways to produce beautiful and delicious bread! Exploring these recipes will not only up your sourdough baking game, but you just might find the recipe that delivers the flavor you're looking for! 

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