I fed my starter a bit too much, and had to do something with the overflow, so it went into feeding this delightful treat — so delightful, in fact, that my 5-yo had the brilliant idea of shaping them into hearts! My original plan was the traditional shape, and I was just getting ready to open a couple of tins of tuna which is how I made it years and years ago… not English Muffins with Tuna, silly, I used the tins to shape the muffins! But I had to admit using a heart shaped cutter would be …read more

This was made the same day as the baguettes. They puffed up nicely but network inside isn’t as pronounced as the baguettes’. And I’m not happy with that color at all. I also didn’t get the same beautiful blistering I got on the first try. Guess there’s nothing else to do but try again.

Another try at that starter. This time to make baguettes. The shaping would have worked well had I a proper peel. As it was I was limited by the 13″ cutting board I used. The starter also was weaker, because I hadn’t refreshed it in a couple of weeks at least. The tang was less noticeable, though the bread itself was still nicely holey. I’m also not too happy with the crust, I think the previous one’s was better. I don’t know if it’s my steaming technique or spraying or the dough itself. …read more

Testing for windowpaning.

Smooth as a baby’s bottom

Yes, it’s alive!! More than double the original volume!

My mini-baguettes. Next time I’ll try longer. Also need to work on my shaping, but I’m happy with the way those slashes opened up!

Nicer color and blistering on the boules. They were nearer the top of the oven and no rack on top so more heat circulation, compared to the baguettes. A little too brown though I think.

Requisite crumb photo. Would love to get more holes next time, but I daresay, it’s not all bad for a first-timer.
I asked my …read more

No, this isn’t my idea of a silly post. It’s just baker’s jitters, I guess. Oy. You don’t know how this latest creation is making me nervous no end.
The starter that’s residing in its Christmas-themed jar in the fridge has convinced me, once and for all, that it’s alive.
I’ve lamented before that I haven’t had much success with multi-day starters. Particularly one that called for organic grapes (thankfully, the recipe didn’t ask me to trample those underfoot). They always die before I’m ready to let go. Or maybe I’ve been too eager to …read more

Experiment #2. Quite successful, I guess. No recipe here, just a bit of the starter, added some flour, a bit of salt, some olive oil. I mainly just wanted to see if it would rise — I don’t think it quite doubled after 2 1/2 hours (it’s also 16 degrees outside so that may be a factor as the house can get quite chilly even with the heater on). I went ahead and baked it anyway, and it developed a nice substantial, but not too dense, crust. Quite crispy actually, which surprised me. I …read more

Well, I took Breadchick’s advice and made some pancakes with the starter I’ve got. They produced fluffly pancakes, but they were quite a bit denser than regular pancakes leavened with baking powder and soda. Nevertheless, a good start, and proof that it is edible:D. I followed instructions posted by Bud Mathews at the Sourdough Group at Yahoo.
Take 1 cup of starter out of the refrigerator several hours or the night before you plan to use it to bring it to room temperature. To the starter, add
2 tablespoons canola or other cooking oil
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 …read more

Sourdough experimentation continues. That liquid that you see at the top, apparently, is something called hooch. Nothing to worry about, doesn’t mean my starter’s dead.
More information about sourdoughs and hooch here:
Caring for Your Starter
How sourdough bread works
Sourdough Starter as Ecological Model
The Zen of Sourdough
Bethany’s Sourdough Saga
Breadchick’s Yeast Beast
Tips for a Healthy Starter
I fed it again, and it bubbled up soon after. Waited 6 hours then put it back on the fridge. It’s got hooch in there again — so I guess it’s hungry again? I’ll feed it tomorrow.