These are some reminders and tips from the conversations I’ve had, and things I’ve been asked recently, but these are also the things I am asked about the most often, they are all things I’ve said many times before, but they may be a useful reminder for you, or they may be new to you if you’re new to me ☺️
🌟 These tips are all based on using my standard master recipe and are based on my own practices and methods.
In your dough:
🌟 if it’s hot where you are, or in your kitchen, use less starter in your dough to prevent over proving
🌟 if it’s humid where you are, or in your kitchen, use less water in your dough to prevent it from being bubbly and sticky and impossible to handle and shape
🌟 if it’s hot AND humid use less starter AND less water
🌟 in all 3 of the above, nothing else in the recipe needs to change only those aspects
🌟 if your water is soft, use 25g less water in the recipe
🌟 if your water is hard, nothing needs to change
🌟 if you’re using organic or supermarket bread flour use 25g less water to prevent soft unmanageable dough
🌟🌟 the loaf in this photo above was made with 10g of starter
🌟🌟 less starter does NOT equate to less flavour or texture (as this photo shows), less starter always mean MORE flavour as the dough works harder which creates more flavour
🌟🌟 more starter does NOT mean more flavour, all it means is more risk of over proving at any time of the year
In your starter:
🌟 if it’s hot where you are, or in your kitchen, don’t leave your starter on the counter for too long, watch it carefully and once it’s started to grow and is responding put it into the fridge, it will keep growing just more slowly
🌟 if it’s hot where you are, or in your kitchen, use less water in your starter than flour to prevent it from becoming thin in the heat, as above
🌟 if it’s humid where you are, or in your kitchen, using less water in your starter if it’s getting too thin from the added moisture in the air
🌟 don’t be afraid to give your starter what it needs, ratios are not necessary, equal weights are not necessary if your starter needs different input
🌟 thick is always better than thin in a starter, a thin starter won’t rise and won’t lift your dough
🌟 if you’re making a new starter these things also apply, learn to watch your starter and see what it needs
I hope these help!
For more tips and help read more of the posts here on my website.
These are also some of the posts I send people the most often to assist their sourdough making:
Why does dough spread https://foodbodsourdough.com/why-does-my-dough-spread/
Gummy loaves https://foodbodsourdough.com/gummy-loaves/
It’s about the dough not the lame https://foodbodsourdough.com/its-often-about-the-dough-not-the-lame/
How long: https://foodbodsourdough.com/how-long/
Don’t blame starter: https://foodbodsourdough.com/dont-blame-your-starter/
How to make a starter: https://foodbodsourdough.com/how-to-make-a-starter/
My master recipe: https://foodbodsourdough.com/the-process/
Hot temps: https://foodbodsourdough.com/making-sourdough-in-hot-temperatures/
Heat and humidity: https://foodbodsourdough.com/making-sourdough-in-hot-and-humid-environments/
Very helpful reminders, thanks!
Thank you 🤩