[allotmentann]

Hi, I started my first sourdough starter on Sunday and have a few questions First, let me say that I have nowhere at all warm to put it (a bad way to start I know!). I have put it in the warmest place that I have - the kitchen (temperature between 8 and 12 degrees most of the time, may go a bit cooler at night), so I am expecting it to be even slower than a normal starter. I have started it with strong organic white flour with equal weight of flour and water. I have read that it should become frothy andd bubbly. Mine is bubbly but they are bigger bubbles on the top and I can see quite a few smaller bubbles throughout the mix. I have been feeding it each day, but it does not seem to be frothy - rather, it is more like a biga, it feels like a really wet dough and it does not seem to be increasing in size. When I feed it, it is just bubbling slowly away. It smells fine and there is no hooch forming, does this sound as though it is working okay or should I be seeing something different? Thank you to all you experienced sourdough bakers ot there

[compostqueen]

Have you followed the Sourdough thread already running on here as there is instructions on there to get sourdough starter instructions from a couple of sources.  I did the basic Dan Lepard starter, which has added raisins to start with which get taken out later. 

I keep my starter on the side in the kitchen and it's fine. As long as it's bubbling it's working 
I top mine up with 100 grams of water and 125 g of strong white bread flour. 

By the way I only just started on this sd lark, spurred on by Scribbler 

[allotmentann]

Hi, yes, I have been reading that and several other old threads, plus whatever I can find by googling, but couldn't find anything that described how a starter should 'feel' as it develops. A difficult thing to do anyway I suppose. Your starter sounds interesting as it heavier on the flour. Dan Lepard's book is on my wish list. Well, I shall keep stirring and feeding and hope I will know when it is ready to use!

[compostqueen]

He mentions "heavier on the flour" in his discussion about the starter. I think it's more supportive if it's more flour than water. I have no idea about science so I don't get hung up on it. Some sites and books I've read are heavy on the science so I tend to glaze over.  I look at it from the point of view that you can eat your mistakes    No two loaves are ever the same so it's fun to experiment. The Real Bread website is a good place to have a read as is Dan's Lepard's blog, and some of his recipes are free to Googlers.  I've made his real ale starter using the bottle conditioned beer. Lovely   

I make yeast leavened bread and soda bread too. It's all good 

[allotmentann]

Ooh! Thanks for that. I will check out the websites. I make lots of yeast bread too, but really want to give sour dough a try. I am feeling pretty certain that it is just my cold house slowing things down. I am just not certain if there is any chance of anything happening until the weather warms up!

[compostqueen]

You don't need a warm room for the dough to rise. It will even rise in the fridge!  With a longer, slower rise you get more flavour developing so it's all good. No need to wait. Get cracking 

I have a sourdough on the side as I type. I'm doing granary rolls for a change. 
This is using the Dan Lepard starter which I made a few weeks ago and keep using every other day, and just topping up every morning.  It's really an active mixture and keeps popping the lid of the Tupperware. 

I'm making the rolls using the loaf recipe which Scribbler posted up, which is a doddle, and can be tweaked to use the flour you prefer 

[allotmentann]

Yes,  thank you. I normally leave bread for ages to  rise. I am just concerned that my kitchen won't get warm enough to get the starter active enough to rise on its own, but perhaps that will just take much longer too! The good news is that I have discovered that you can use discarded (not quite ready) starter in your normal yeasted loaf, just deducting the weight of flour and water you add by using yor discarded starter, and it comes out really well.

[compostqueen]

You can make pancakes with it too. 

I make the sourdoughs as I wanted to get away from using bought yeast for my daily bread.  The starter will be fine at room temp. The water added to the starter at 20 degrees is at room temp so don't worry about it.  I checked mine this morning after a cold night in the kitchen when the heating's gone off and it's fab 

The rise you get with sourdough starter is amazing. You don't need any additions of bought yeast    Soda bread has no yeast and that rises beautifully

[allotmentann]

I am really looking forward to trying it out. I shall persevere with mine, but have found a local lady who has kindly offered me some, so at least I will get to have a bash at baking soon!

[compostqueen]

I did the Dan L one and the Realbread's website one.  I think making your own gives you a better understanding of the process so I'd urge you to give it a go as it's easy

You can make various starters using different flours, once you get going 

[allotmentann]

I am definitely not giving up with my starter, I am determined to succeed! It is looking a little dead at the minute and has gone thinner (but smells good), I believe from what I have read that it should go thinner as it is bacteria that cause the bubbles to begin with, then it thins as the yeast takes over, so I am hoping it is a sign that yeast is starting to work. Or maybe it is dying . Even if it does I will try again until  I master it!

[compostqueen]

It should be bubbly on the surface if it's alive.  The Dan L starter recipe discards a certain amount of it each day but you do end up with a real live wire once it's ready.  I'm making bread most days so mine gets fed every day as I remove some for baking

You can give it a stir to liven it up 

[Scribbler]

Hello ladies. I've got three starters in the fridge at the moment - rye, white and spelt. You can use any of these with different combinations of flour to bake with. Spelt and white flour is great, as is rye with half and half wholemeal and white flour.

As I'm away for a week next week, I'm going to try and keep them well fed and hope they'll survive a week of neglect in the fridge.

Because the washing machine has died, I don't think I'll have a chance to make a loaf before we go away. I'll really miss it!!   

[compostqueen]

Yes I can imagne, it's a bit addictive. I can't buy bread now. It's just not done 

Speaking of bready things, I made a proper malt loaf. My goodness it's tasty but so moreish it. Made with a good stout, the beery flavour develops daily. Crikey it should be dished out on the national health 

[allotmentann]

Hi Scribbler, I hear that starters are quite happy to go for even longer periods of neglect than a  week and come back to life readily. I think I shall probably attempt a couple more varieties. Yours sound lovely.
I picked up some from a local lady who runs baking courses yesterday _ I have to say that I may have been expecting too much from mine. The one I picked up, ready to go, was only a little bubblier than mine. Anyway, I began the loaf last night, although it won't be finished until tomorrow night, so I will just have to be patient!
Compostqueen - I don't think it would be a good idea at all for me to try malt loaf - not until I tire of bread anyway! I shall  end up very fat!