At some point, we ALL face failure when making sourdough. I've been there many times, & I'm sure I'll be there again & again.
Common Sourdough Troubles Include:
super sticky dough
a just-baked loaf looking more like a pancake than a lofty boule
a crust so tough it might rip your teeth out
dense, gummy crumb
Sourdough is a journey. Failures are a rite of passage.
Welcome to the journey.
I used to beat myself up over my mistakes, but now, I learn from them & make changes - this is where you will find success.
When I first started my journey
Today, I want to share with y'all 5 common Sourdough Mistakes & How to Fix Them:
1. You bake too soon.
If you have not adopted a piece of someone else's established starter, you are going to need at least a week (often more) to get a starter that will actually leaven a loaf of bread. Yes, your starter might be bubbly & growing, but that doesn't make it strong. It takes a lot of little wild yeasties to make a heavy dough rise, so be patient with your new pet before you put it to work making bread for you!
2. You use unfiltered tap water.
This is probably the most common problem I see. Sadly, our tap water is full of chlorine and other things to make it potable - unfortunately these things can kill your yeast. If you have a filter, use filtered water. If you don't, leave a pitcher of water uncovered on your counter-top for 24 hours so that it can off-gas and will be ready to use for both feeding your starter and making your breads.
3. You use water that's too hot or too cold.
Room temperature to tepid is the perfect water temperature for feeding and for making sourdough. Too cold and you will shock the yeast and slow its activity; too hot and you can kill it. I leave all the water I plan to use for both feeding and dough making at room temp in a pitcher on the counter for ease - here is the pitcher I use.
4. You don't let the dough proof long enough.
Bread is an art and a science. You will eventually be able to read the cues your dough is giving you as to what it needs. But the easiest and most dangerous rookie mistake to make is not letting it proof long enough - we often get too excited and want it NOW!
Under-proofed dough will result in huge uneven tunnels in your finished bread, or a leaden damp texture. A finger poked into your dough should leave an impression that does not fully fill back in. I usually proof my dough on the counter for about 6-7 hours, then do an over-night cold proof in the refrigerator.
5. You're impatient.
Sourdough is not a fast bread - this is one of the many things I love about it. It tests my patience!
Even under the best of circumstances, you are looking at a couple of days between making your dough and eating your bread. The long, slow cold fermentation inherent in sourdough making is the key to texture and flavor. Without these steps, there is almost no point in making sourdough. If you need bread today, you'll need to bake with commercial yeast. But I promise, it doesn't take long to get into a good routine that works with your schedule.
If you found this helpful, you might also enjoy:
Comments