January 13, 2021 - 5:53am
I'm trying an alternate culture
for "sourdough". I am a kombucha brewer and while bottling my latest brew, I decided to try to make a starter from it. I took 100 grams of kombucha and mixed with 100 grams Ap flour. After 24 hours its getting bubbly. Once it gains some strength, I plan on making a levain and baking a loaf. Has anyone tried this before? Results?
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But kefir has very similar cultures in it and the pH level of a starter. I would think the cultures in kombucha are not so similar and the pH level is lower than the range of a typical starter. I'm not saying it won't work rather it's something to think about and perhaps adjust accordingly. Whether it's as stable or might need a different approach I don't know but I seem to remember someone having tried something similar in the past on TFL.
I'd love if you report back with your results! While I didn't create my starter with kombucha, I did keep the starter next to my kombucha on the countertop, so I always wondered if my kombucha helped my starter develop cultures.
so good....
After 24 hrs it seems very bubbly and active
I tried a bake. I mixed up a 73% hydration dough with my kombucha culture. I did a 100% bread flour on this one. I bulked it for 9 hours and it got late so I shaped it and retarded it over night in the fridge.
The loaf was smaller than I expected and I knew what that meant - underfermented and underproofed.
It baked up pretty but .....it was under bulked for sure. I should have left it out overnight. I might try it again some time but I bet it needs about 18 hours bulk.
Trial and error
It tasted good toasted, but its pretty dense. Makes me chuckle :) If you look under proofed or under bulked in the dictionary - this picture will be there!
And agree with your analysis as far as the crumb goes. Either it's timing or an issue with the starter itself. Have you found anyone who has used kombucha with a perfect bake?