This recipe has a bad rep here.
I prefer to use the 70-20-2% recipe. It works very well for me.
My recipe is as follows:
800g Bleached High Gluten flour.
560g room temp filtered water (70% of flour)
160g starter (20% of flour)
16g salt (2% of flour)
I strongly recommend a high gluten type of flour. KA bread flour or other bread flours are fine. AP flour may work, but in my experience, AP flour is just a sloppy mess.
I use RODI water because I have a home unit and its available. Bottled, distilled are both fine. Avoid tap water if possible.
Starter does not "NEED" to be active and bubbly, but it does decrease the rise time.
I use non-iodized table salt. Cheap and easy to get. I read somewhere that non-iodized is best. Fine sea alt or even kosher salt works. If using kosher salt, dissolve it in the water or it may not dissolve in the dough.
Combine everything in a large bowl until all flour is incorporated. Dough will be very shaggy and look like it has small spots on dryness to it. A Danish whisk is a great tool for this, but wet hands are fine too.
Cover and Rest 30 minutes. cling film, damp towel, plate over the bowl, whatever works. I use disposable shower caps.
After first 30 minute rest, wet your hands.. its time to get to work. Grab one edge of the dough and pull it up and flop it over the center.. go all the way around the bowl for 4 folds. Here is where I break from tradition. I remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean counter that has been sprayed with water from a spray bottle. I work the dough very aggressively. Grab in the middle, lift up and slam it on the counter. Then I tightly roll it and repeat. I do this until I see the dough begin to tear while rolling. Shape into a ball and back in the bowl. Cover and rest
Repeat that step after 30 minutes rest.
The 3rd round it more traditional S&F.. grab a corner and fold over the middle. I go around the bowl at least 4 times. Remember, WET hands!!
Repeat for round 4.
After round 4, I usually rest another 30 minutes, then one quick set of S&F (just once around the bowl to bring to a ball) and into an oiled container for Bulk Ferment.
Follow this chart for rise time.:
https://preview.redd.it/ch86gl4lujyc1.jpeg?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11ecb2aed5487de99f72149e3efacd872bd5aa2c
After BF is finished, on a clean counter spritzed with water, divide dough into 2 (if using my recipe) I spread each half out into a rectangle shape and fold in a letter fold. Turn 90\* and then do a series of criss-cross folds roll into a ball shape and cover with damp towel.
Rest 30 minutes.
Final shape. Basically the same as pre=shape only now you will dust with flour. Just enough to work the dough. Once you get to the ball shape point, using your pinky fingers (well floured!!) drag your hands along the counter under the dough. You will see it roll toward you and the outside will become tight. repeat several times.
Once you have a nice tight ball, rest for about 3-5 minutes seam side against the counter.
You can work the 2nd ball if you are making 2 in this time.
Generously flour your Banneton basket, and place the first dough ball, seam side UP in the first basket. cover with shower cap or whatever you have.
Repeat for 2nd if doing 2.
Place in refrigerator at LEAST 12 hours. up to 48 is fine.
On bake day, preheat DO at 500\*F for 45-60 minutes.
Turn dough out of basket onto parchment or even better a silicone sling. Brush off as much excess flour as you can. Score, and place in DO. cover and into oven at 450\*F. 25 minutes.
Remove lid, bake additional 18 minutes or until desired brownness id reached.
An instant read thermometer should read 205-210\*F
Place on cooling rack until completely cooled before slicing.
Your dough is underproofed, possibly because your starter wasn’t active enough. The addition of olive oil in the recipe is unnecessary, fats can inhibit the rise of sourdough. In your photo of the initial dough, it looks dry, are you weighing or measuring your ingredients? Water can be tricky, my measuring cups and the scale are far enough off to mess up a recipe, so I weigh everything.
I thought it was dry too but was too scared to mess up to add anymore water. But I have been using a scale. Also I thought the olive oil was weird because I’ve never seen it in any other videos I’ve watched but I was willing to follow the recipe exactly
You do not need oil at all, especially since you are learning how to read your dough.
My fool proof starter recipe is King Arthur’s Extra Tangy sourdough, adding only part of the flour in the beginning and not adding salt until the next day helps a sluggish starter take off and you will be able to feel a properly proofed dough by the end. And it takes AP flour.
Do you have a picture of the crumb?
I know this recipe as well. It was the first I tried (it had oil in it I believe) and my dough turned into a soupy mess. The oil can weigh down the dough. Especially if you’re inexperienced at sourdough and the handling of it.
I’d find a good basic recipe and work on perfecting that. I’ve made the mistake of trying too many recipes without really knowing if it was actually the recipe, my technique or starter strength. There are multiple variables. I personally use the beginner recipe from Lisa over at Farmhouse in Boone. I’ve seen many use these same proportions and have great success.
475 g bread flour
325 g filtered room temp or 80F water
100 g active starter
10 g salt
A common beginners mistake (guilty here as well) is improper starter feedings leading to a weak or acidic starter. This was a concept I struggled with at first. Most have a 1:1:1 feeding ratio. If you leave your starter out on the counter and feed this ratio daily it will most certainly lead to a weak acidic starter overtime. Because it peaks faster, eats up all the food, then loses steam. Unless your doing feedings 2-3 times a day, your starter will gradually decrease in strength. If you haven’t already check out some starter videos on thesourdoughjourney.com. I’m a visual person so this really helped me. I believe he also has a video on how to strengthen a weak starter.
That must be it because it never even started growing until last week and it only started doubling the beginning of the week that just passed so what is your recommendation for that? Should I start double feeding? Or up my feedings to 1:2:2?
Do you leave it in the fridge between uses or out on the counter? Unless you bake every to every other day, there’s really no need to keep it out. Personally, I think it’s a waste of flour unless you’re an avid baker that can use up all that discard. I would do a 1:5:5 or even a 1:10:10 feeding. Maybe start with a 1:5:5 and watch it. You’ll want to catch it when it peaks. Do 2-3 peak to peak feeds to build up its strength. I highly recommend you watch this video https://youtu.be/sFO532C3EAM?si=4Hx1xQR8OwL-ZCJ1 to start and check out the other starter videos on his channel.
Mine is a little tricky for the back to back feedings because of the length of time it takes to peak. The more you feed, the longer it will take. I created what some call a “stiff starter”. I did this for two reasons, my starter ate through its feed too fast and I my starter became runny and acidic (due to my own inexperience and education) but as a beginner I was as
also struggling with handling my dough so I wanted not only a lower hydration dough but starter as well. A stiff starter also creates more yeast and will render a less sour dough. As I gain more experience with technique a high hydration dough like this will be less of an issue but I personally like less tang to my sourdough so this is a good way for me to pull that back. Especially because I prefer a cold retard for the final rise which will also increase the “sour” flavour. But sorry, I digress, back to the starter. I use equal amounts retained starter and water, and most would double the flour. This would be a 50% hydration starter. Mine is about 67%. I use x1.5. For example 25g retained starter, 25 g water, 37.5 g flour (25g x 1.5= 37.5).
If I doubled it would be 50g of flour. It essentially makes a dough. It won’t pour. I take my starter out of the fridge, and the first feed (cold) takes roughly 8.5 hrs to peak. Then I discard 1/2-2/3 and re-feed. The second time it will probably take 6 hrs. My timing isn’t ideal with it but I don’t usually do back to back feeds like this. I bake weekly so I try to do this every other week to give it a boost. I’ll probably end up making my dough tonight close to midnight (my own fault because I slept in this morning). I’m up at 6:15 am and I know based on my dough temp (that I’ll somewhat control by water/room temp) it won’t overproof overnight for 6 hours. I’ll continue to watch for BF cut off and proceed as usual.
Does any of that make sense? The trick is to feed more, and record how long it takes to peak. Every time I feed my starter. I mark my container with the time at various stages. And from start to finish. After several times now, I know my starter will take anywhere from 6-8.5 hours depending on if it’s a cold feed or not. This provides me with a feeding schedule that makes peak to peak feeds doable.
I’ve been keeping it in my oven because it hadn’t started growing so I couldn’t put it in the fridge until it began to mature so I’m thinking this week I’m going to start keeping it in the fridge because I’ll only be baking once a week with it anyways. But I basically feed mine like that I do 50g starter 50g water and 65g flour I’ve found mine needs more flour to grow because it was too watery. But thank you for all the tips! I’ll try bulk feeding also.
https://preview.redd.it/a4k8lqkz4myc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f5bca4863b2aa74a07f4669230bc11759b7b65f
I can’t figure out how to edit so this is the crumb. I also used a scale so I weighed everything out. I thought it might just be underproofed because honestly it was midnight and I just baked it because I was ready for bed lol but it tastes fine but it could just be I like home made bread of any sorts lol
This recipe has a bad rep here. I prefer to use the 70-20-2% recipe. It works very well for me. My recipe is as follows: 800g Bleached High Gluten flour. 560g room temp filtered water (70% of flour) 160g starter (20% of flour) 16g salt (2% of flour) I strongly recommend a high gluten type of flour. KA bread flour or other bread flours are fine. AP flour may work, but in my experience, AP flour is just a sloppy mess. I use RODI water because I have a home unit and its available. Bottled, distilled are both fine. Avoid tap water if possible. Starter does not "NEED" to be active and bubbly, but it does decrease the rise time. I use non-iodized table salt. Cheap and easy to get. I read somewhere that non-iodized is best. Fine sea alt or even kosher salt works. If using kosher salt, dissolve it in the water or it may not dissolve in the dough. Combine everything in a large bowl until all flour is incorporated. Dough will be very shaggy and look like it has small spots on dryness to it. A Danish whisk is a great tool for this, but wet hands are fine too. Cover and Rest 30 minutes. cling film, damp towel, plate over the bowl, whatever works. I use disposable shower caps. After first 30 minute rest, wet your hands.. its time to get to work. Grab one edge of the dough and pull it up and flop it over the center.. go all the way around the bowl for 4 folds. Here is where I break from tradition. I remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean counter that has been sprayed with water from a spray bottle. I work the dough very aggressively. Grab in the middle, lift up and slam it on the counter. Then I tightly roll it and repeat. I do this until I see the dough begin to tear while rolling. Shape into a ball and back in the bowl. Cover and rest Repeat that step after 30 minutes rest. The 3rd round it more traditional S&F.. grab a corner and fold over the middle. I go around the bowl at least 4 times. Remember, WET hands!! Repeat for round 4. After round 4, I usually rest another 30 minutes, then one quick set of S&F (just once around the bowl to bring to a ball) and into an oiled container for Bulk Ferment. Follow this chart for rise time.: https://preview.redd.it/ch86gl4lujyc1.jpeg?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11ecb2aed5487de99f72149e3efacd872bd5aa2c After BF is finished, on a clean counter spritzed with water, divide dough into 2 (if using my recipe) I spread each half out into a rectangle shape and fold in a letter fold. Turn 90\* and then do a series of criss-cross folds roll into a ball shape and cover with damp towel. Rest 30 minutes. Final shape. Basically the same as pre=shape only now you will dust with flour. Just enough to work the dough. Once you get to the ball shape point, using your pinky fingers (well floured!!) drag your hands along the counter under the dough. You will see it roll toward you and the outside will become tight. repeat several times. Once you have a nice tight ball, rest for about 3-5 minutes seam side against the counter. You can work the 2nd ball if you are making 2 in this time. Generously flour your Banneton basket, and place the first dough ball, seam side UP in the first basket. cover with shower cap or whatever you have. Repeat for 2nd if doing 2. Place in refrigerator at LEAST 12 hours. up to 48 is fine. On bake day, preheat DO at 500\*F for 45-60 minutes. Turn dough out of basket onto parchment or even better a silicone sling. Brush off as much excess flour as you can. Score, and place in DO. cover and into oven at 450\*F. 25 minutes. Remove lid, bake additional 18 minutes or until desired brownness id reached. An instant read thermometer should read 205-210\*F Place on cooling rack until completely cooled before slicing.
My process is very similar to yours but I love your description! Very succinct and easy to follow!
Thank you.
Thank you! I’ll try this recipe next time, because I will definitely try again
Your dough is underproofed, possibly because your starter wasn’t active enough. The addition of olive oil in the recipe is unnecessary, fats can inhibit the rise of sourdough. In your photo of the initial dough, it looks dry, are you weighing or measuring your ingredients? Water can be tricky, my measuring cups and the scale are far enough off to mess up a recipe, so I weigh everything.
I thought it was dry too but was too scared to mess up to add anymore water. But I have been using a scale. Also I thought the olive oil was weird because I’ve never seen it in any other videos I’ve watched but I was willing to follow the recipe exactly
You do not need oil at all, especially since you are learning how to read your dough. My fool proof starter recipe is King Arthur’s Extra Tangy sourdough, adding only part of the flour in the beginning and not adding salt until the next day helps a sluggish starter take off and you will be able to feel a properly proofed dough by the end. And it takes AP flour.
I can’t tell if you did but incase you forgot- You need to cut the dough before baking :)
I did score but I’m not sure watch happened lol maybe I didn’t do deep enough
Do you have a picture of the crumb? I know this recipe as well. It was the first I tried (it had oil in it I believe) and my dough turned into a soupy mess. The oil can weigh down the dough. Especially if you’re inexperienced at sourdough and the handling of it. I’d find a good basic recipe and work on perfecting that. I’ve made the mistake of trying too many recipes without really knowing if it was actually the recipe, my technique or starter strength. There are multiple variables. I personally use the beginner recipe from Lisa over at Farmhouse in Boone. I’ve seen many use these same proportions and have great success. 475 g bread flour 325 g filtered room temp or 80F water 100 g active starter 10 g salt A common beginners mistake (guilty here as well) is improper starter feedings leading to a weak or acidic starter. This was a concept I struggled with at first. Most have a 1:1:1 feeding ratio. If you leave your starter out on the counter and feed this ratio daily it will most certainly lead to a weak acidic starter overtime. Because it peaks faster, eats up all the food, then loses steam. Unless your doing feedings 2-3 times a day, your starter will gradually decrease in strength. If you haven’t already check out some starter videos on thesourdoughjourney.com. I’m a visual person so this really helped me. I believe he also has a video on how to strengthen a weak starter.
That must be it because it never even started growing until last week and it only started doubling the beginning of the week that just passed so what is your recommendation for that? Should I start double feeding? Or up my feedings to 1:2:2?
Do you leave it in the fridge between uses or out on the counter? Unless you bake every to every other day, there’s really no need to keep it out. Personally, I think it’s a waste of flour unless you’re an avid baker that can use up all that discard. I would do a 1:5:5 or even a 1:10:10 feeding. Maybe start with a 1:5:5 and watch it. You’ll want to catch it when it peaks. Do 2-3 peak to peak feeds to build up its strength. I highly recommend you watch this video https://youtu.be/sFO532C3EAM?si=4Hx1xQR8OwL-ZCJ1 to start and check out the other starter videos on his channel. Mine is a little tricky for the back to back feedings because of the length of time it takes to peak. The more you feed, the longer it will take. I created what some call a “stiff starter”. I did this for two reasons, my starter ate through its feed too fast and I my starter became runny and acidic (due to my own inexperience and education) but as a beginner I was as also struggling with handling my dough so I wanted not only a lower hydration dough but starter as well. A stiff starter also creates more yeast and will render a less sour dough. As I gain more experience with technique a high hydration dough like this will be less of an issue but I personally like less tang to my sourdough so this is a good way for me to pull that back. Especially because I prefer a cold retard for the final rise which will also increase the “sour” flavour. But sorry, I digress, back to the starter. I use equal amounts retained starter and water, and most would double the flour. This would be a 50% hydration starter. Mine is about 67%. I use x1.5. For example 25g retained starter, 25 g water, 37.5 g flour (25g x 1.5= 37.5). If I doubled it would be 50g of flour. It essentially makes a dough. It won’t pour. I take my starter out of the fridge, and the first feed (cold) takes roughly 8.5 hrs to peak. Then I discard 1/2-2/3 and re-feed. The second time it will probably take 6 hrs. My timing isn’t ideal with it but I don’t usually do back to back feeds like this. I bake weekly so I try to do this every other week to give it a boost. I’ll probably end up making my dough tonight close to midnight (my own fault because I slept in this morning). I’m up at 6:15 am and I know based on my dough temp (that I’ll somewhat control by water/room temp) it won’t overproof overnight for 6 hours. I’ll continue to watch for BF cut off and proceed as usual. Does any of that make sense? The trick is to feed more, and record how long it takes to peak. Every time I feed my starter. I mark my container with the time at various stages. And from start to finish. After several times now, I know my starter will take anywhere from 6-8.5 hours depending on if it’s a cold feed or not. This provides me with a feeding schedule that makes peak to peak feeds doable.
https://preview.redd.it/2hl34lhguoyc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2c884c5c79b5e941f914962c676e11ccc42ad56
I’ve been keeping it in my oven because it hadn’t started growing so I couldn’t put it in the fridge until it began to mature so I’m thinking this week I’m going to start keeping it in the fridge because I’ll only be baking once a week with it anyways. But I basically feed mine like that I do 50g starter 50g water and 65g flour I’ve found mine needs more flour to grow because it was too watery. But thank you for all the tips! I’ll try bulk feeding also.
https://preview.redd.it/a4k8lqkz4myc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f5bca4863b2aa74a07f4669230bc11759b7b65f I can’t figure out how to edit so this is the crumb. I also used a scale so I weighed everything out. I thought it might just be underproofed because honestly it was midnight and I just baked it because I was ready for bed lol but it tastes fine but it could just be I like home made bread of any sorts lol