Finding it difficult to use starter in summer
Hi all
I have a starter which I usually feed 100 grams flour every night to 100 grams of water.
During the winter I can usually have my starter ready for baking after a 12 hour feed.
Last summer I didn't seem to be feeding my starter enough and once I saw some different than normal colour I recommenced a new starter.
This summer my starter spends a lot of time in the fridge and I feed it about once a week. Last Thursday I got it out of the fridge and started feeding it twice a day around 100 grams at a time as usual though each time I check the smell of my starter there is quite a sour vinegar smell. I can't seem to find the right time to perform a float test.
What are some strategies that I can use should I wish to bake a sourdough loaf during the summer?
Or should I just be patient and wait for the winter bake?
Thank you.
and you can do many things to slow down the fermentation of the starter. Try one or more of the following:
That's all I can think of at the moment. :)
To slow down dough, try reducing the recipe hydration. Or reducing the amount of starter in the recipe. Start with half the starter amount adding the differences in water and flour to the recipe instead of the starter. Cool or chill the flour and/or water. Used crushed ice in mixers to lower dough temp. Draping dough bowl or shaped loaves with a damp towel can also help cool dough. Chilling the bowl before using or during by setting inside a larger bowl with ice water can slow dough down a lot! Brain out.
This is my first summer making sourdough and the higher kitchen temp makes so much sense.
I have been blaming the new flour I've moved to but maybe I'll start simply by keeping a closer eye on the dough rather than the clock.