Having raised children now seems easier then raising my newer SDstarter. I'm very enthused about trying and trying though but hv had set backs. Have had a few questions so glad to find like minded. After days of research I'm pulled into many directions and trying to find what will work. I'm still confused about the regime. For now I'm growing my starter on counter as want big batch to holiday cook with. Q #1...can you just randomly add fresh new packet of yeast to starter if it seems to be failing? Q 2.... I feed whole container of first then 8 hrs later can take my 1cup off starter to bake with correct? Q3...when just about to feed (the 1c flour 1c water) am I suppose to add only to 1c of starter? I've been putting feed directly into my entire container of SD starter then as mentioned will take cup off to use 8ish hrs later? The pancakes I made when starter working were awesomely delicious!!!! Made me miss the north's winters. Thanks!!!
To clarify...one sight said stir lots to wake AND another said...do not stir as breakdown yeast activation (see below)
https://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/SourdoughStarter.htm
??? Mixing/Stirring Starter:
Avoid mixing the starter too much. Over-mixing knocks the gases out of the dough. These gases are needed for rising.
Secondly, this site said to add the feed to the whole batch of Levin and only remove one cup of to bake with. See following
https://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/SourdoughStarter.htm
???? Keep all but 1 cup of starter
Remove approximately 3/4 to 1 cup of starter (use this starter in a baked item, give it to a neighbor, or throw it away. Replace it with the same amount (3/4 to 1 cup) of warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.) plus (3/4 to 1 cup) flour.
My goal is to BULK up Levin to make a lot of bread for the family to try over holidays.
Thnks so much again!
> Q #1...can you just randomly add fresh new packet of yeast to starter if it seems to be failing?
I wouldn't recommend adding yeast to a sourdough starter. By creating a sourdough starter you are striving for a balance between lactobacillus and yeast, and relatively selective strains of both. Adding yeast will probably set you back. If you feel you need to add yeast, add it to the final mix and not the starter.
> Q 2.... I feed whole container of first then 8 hrs later can take my 1cup off starter to bake with correct?
Levain builds vary in proportion but a rule of thumb is that your seed, the portion of the refreshment that comes from your older starter (mother) should be about 20% of the levain. So, if you wanted 200 grams of levain at a 100% hydration, you would mix 20 g. of starter with 80 g. of water and 80 g. of flour. Depending on the strength of your mother and the temperature of the environment, full growth times will vary. 8 to 12 hours is another general rule but there are other measures as well.
> Q3...when just about to feed (the 1c flour 1c water) am I suppose to add only to 1c of starter? I've been putting feed directly into my entire container of SD starter then as mentioned will take cup off to use 8ish hrs later?
See Q2, and you would be starving your starter if you fed it 33%, 33%, 33%.
To expand a starter simply feed it according to the proportions above. If it doesn't represent the total required do it again. Normally when we maintain a starter we end up throwing some away so that we do not end up with bathtub full of sourdough starter. In your case you are trying to create more starter so you just keep building on what you have.
I recommend that if you are planning to bake a lot of bread over the holidays you build and maintain your starters and levains for each specific baking event. In other words, don't build one big starter that you expect to use over a week or 10 days. Refresh your starter and build your levains on a schedule that will insure a fresh and healthy preferment before each bake.
Thnks so much!
Don't understand this sorry newbie...
"200 grams of levain at a 100% hydration, you would mix 20 g. of starter with 80 g. of water and 80 g. of flour. "
1 So 4x the water and flour to the Levin (mother) amount? (currently, I have about 2 cups of good starter).
2 Do you take your cup of starter you re going to bake with out (for my pancakes) before you feed?
Thank goodness for the googler calendar to schedule all the feeding etc. , and or conversions. Don't know how grandparents did without (egg timers I suppose).
READY IN:
10minsYIELD:
1 batchUNITS:
USINGREDIENTSNutrition
FEED
DIRECTIONS
Greetings. So if pancakes daily call for 2 cups of starter it will continously use all my starter correct? how to avoid without several batches on go at once?
Ingredients:
2 cups sourdough starter, room temperature*
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg**
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon warm water
The night before using your sourdough starter, remove from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Then feed the starter with flour and water. Let this sit eight (8) hours or preferably overnight. It is now ready to use in your sourdough pancakes! Learn how to feed and maintain your Sourdough Starter.
** I sometimes add an extra egg to the pancake batter. I do this to add some additional protein.
thnks again
My top of mind answer is to have a little more than the amount you're going to use. So for example, if you know you're going to use 2 cups, make a bit more, and feed the the amount that's left to rebuild your starter.
Also, it's better to feed your starter by weight, which means using a kitchen scale. A fairly cheap one will do, like the ones you can get on sale at Canadian for $10-$15. Weighing means your starter can be much more consistent. For example, 100% hydration means your starter is half water and half flour by weight and if you're measuring my volume when you feed it, it's basically impossible to maintain the same hydration.
This is because a given volume of flour isn't always the same amount. To see this for yourself, fill a cup with sifted flour, then press it down and you'll see that you have to add more to get back to one cup. You won't normally get such a dramatic difference, but the amount of flour each time you measure out a cup will probably never be exactly the same.
Thank you for the reply. So I am now using a scale so can measure by weight. 40 yrs of cooking and I've never done or realized. Great tip. I also now understand 100%hydration equals half water half flour in a feed. Thanks!. I definitely now understand not to bulk up my starter or I'll need buckets. I am doing 100g of levain and 200g of flour and 200g of water. Is this ratio correct? Though next, I will scale down more as to much waste yet. Made my first loaf in a clay roaster and yummy! The pancakes get devoured daily by kids.
My levain is very forgiving and continues to flourish. I even split it and did a complete change over with one started to 100% rye with no experience just did. It's doing fine so far.
New questions:
#1 Is feeding every 24hrs (once a day as I'm leaving on counter for now) to stressful and I'll starve levain out eventually or weaken it structure? Many camps on this one.
#2 Originally it smelt sourer. Will time only give it that sour smell again?
#3 Some feed instructions say I should be adding sugar? Should I?
Thank you, from chilly Ontario
1. Your starter maintenance regimen should fit your pattern of starter usage. Personally, I bake 1-2 times per week, so I keep it in the fridge most of the time; I feed it after use, leave it out for a few hours, then refrigerate before it peaks, with no more feedings until after the next time I use some. If I just left it out, I'd have to feed it in between uses, and would create discard.
The smell can change until your starter becomes fully mature, which can take some time after it's usable.
I've never understood adding sugar, but to be fair, I've never looked into why some people do so.
Hope this helps, from chilly ON too (GTA).