Newbie with Sourdough

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I struggle a lot lately with sourdough, I’m finally getting so  me results. Sourdough behaved so much differently than yeast bread! Here is my latest accomplishment

Which formula/recipe did you use for these?

How long were you making commercially yeasted bread before attempting SD/levain breads?

Off to a great start!

I have been making yeast bread for years and get great results!  This is a whole different game. I find it very difficult to know when to end the bulk fermentation and also how long to leave it before baking. The dough doesn’t seem to move ( rise) nearly as much.  

This was just a regular recipie for baguettes

flour 100%

water 76%

salt 2%

 

i just used 100 grams of 100% hydration starter in place of yeast and adjusted the hydration to 67%.  They didn’t seem to change after I formed the shape and I thought it was a fail.  Oven spring surprised me

On one hand, in instant yeast, a lot of yeast can be added in the very beginning of fermentation.  Sourdough is growing the yeast needed during the fermentation, so you are watching it multiply.  With sourdough, everything is slowed down and then you actually see more detail, there's also more going on too when you consider the bacteria.

You can also grow instant yeast slowly, take a recipe you know well and then just give a pinch of yeast.  Just a tiny amount and then watch the dough.  Some aspects will be similar and other will not.  It can be a learning experience to compare observations and notes with sourdough.