March 12, 2024 - 7:09pm
Culture developement
I have not been very good, at all, with sourdough culture development. I think it is a combination of slothfulness and absentmindedness. I was reading about the make-up of sourdough cultures, and came to realize that it may not be so much different from yogurt cultures. I tried putting 1/2 t live yogurt in a 50% hydration mix, with a little sugar. I've been carrying it now for a week, and it seems quite lively. The first loaf of multi-grain bread is now in the oven. I'm looking forward to seeing if it is good, or just a ridiculous idea.
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Sourdough starters are easier than making yogurt because temperature control doesn't need to be as strict. For a new sourdough starter, you need to acidify the mixture enough that the dormant yeast can wake up and become active, but not so much that the yeast gets very inhibited. It's a wide range. Then you need enough time and refreshments to build up good concentrations of bacteria and yeast. The yogurt helps establish the original acidity.
TomP
Would work far better. They are very similar to sourdough starters having both LAB and Yeast. In fact you can make bread from kefir whereas yoghurt is often added just for flavouring.
Well, I took a shot at a loaf of multigrain bread , using the yogurt culture/starter. The 'starter' has been going for a couple of weeks now, at room temperature (about 67F). The bread was softer and less chewy than I expected. The crumb was relatively fine. There was a profound lack of 'sourness' in the flavor. The bread was pretty good, just not what I was expecting.
Beware "ricettedicaterina"