More top tips…

Some more top tips for you and answers to the questions I am most often askedโ€ฆ
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Give your starter time, it may look like itโ€™s doing nothing, but itโ€™s building strength, stick with it
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If your starter is thin with tiny bubbles, add extra flour to thicken it up, it needs the extra food
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If your starter has a layer of murky liquid in the top, itโ€™s not ruined, itโ€™s just hungry. Feed it! And make sure you are not keeping it anywhere too warm, the heat will make it constantly thin and weak
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Donโ€™t keep your starter in the oven with the light on, itโ€™s too hot, it will work too fast and always be too thin and weak
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The flour you have made your starter from does not need to match the flour in your dough
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Follow the process steps and allow your dough time to do its work
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Donโ€™t leave dough on the oven overnight with the light on, it will over prove and be spoiled
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Check out all of the info on my site about flour, weather, scoring, storing, the FAQs, baking times takes, thereโ€™s lots of free info there for you
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Check out the equipment list, andโ€ฆ.
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If you donโ€™t have a banneton, line a similar sized bowl with a clean tea towel and sprinkle it with rice flour
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If you donโ€™t have rice flour, grind some uncooked rice, itโ€™s the same thing
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You can use any covered oven proof pan just make sure itโ€™s big enough
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Sourdough is a wonderfully slow process, let it happen and enjoy it, it will be worth it
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Watch your dough and not the clock
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Give your dough time to double overnight; depending on the temperature overnight this may take shorter or longer than my usual times stated in my master recipe
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If your dough is soft and spreads, use 25g less water in your dough next time
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If you dough spreads when you turn it out in the pan, but bakes up to a lovely loaf, donโ€™t worry about the spreading, enjoy your loaf
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Always my biggest and most important tip:
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If it tastes good IT IS GOOD!
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Donโ€™t focus on looks and holes and scoring, they donโ€™t make it taste any better, enjoy what youโ€™ve created, itโ€™s amazing x x
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7 thoughts on “More top tips…”

  1. Thanks for sharing the tips, Elaine. I’m new to sourdough and have been looking for some simpler information about maintaining a starter. I discovered your website, blog and youtube channel a couple of days ago and have spent the long weekend (Queen’s birthday weekend in New Zealand) absorbing the information. Thanks for ditching all the percentages and over-complications and making it seem much simpler. I’m keen to try your master recipe and cold-start baking next weekend.

  2. Hi Megan, thank you so much, I hope it all helps and that you have fun making your own sourdough ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป please let me know if I can help more xx

  3. Thanks so much for ALL your info. Bought your book Whole Grain Sourdough at Home and need to order the next one. Iโ€™m new to sourdough baking but finally have my very own starter alive and well. My MIL recently asked me, โ€œWhy are you obsessed with baking your own sourdough breadโ€? LOL
    Happy to find so many others loving this experience! Happy to learn soooooo much from so many!
    Thank you!
    -An obsessed grandma in Texas.

  4. I love this, thank you so much, I really hope you enjoy it all ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ and itโ€™s a WONDERFUL obsession to have! ๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿคฉ

  5. Can you comment on the/ appropriate water to use for my starter. My instructions said filtered or boiled water at room temperature. Is distilled water considered filtered water?

  6. Iโ€™m so sorry, your message didnโ€™t show up for me ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป

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