My first sourdough loaf finally worked after 4 tries

I messed up the starter twice and baked a brick that could patch drywall. Third loaf was flat as a pancake, but this morning I got that perfect crust crackle. What was your biggest baking win that made you feel like a real baker?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancy_davis21d ago

Oh, good for you! That crackle is such a sweet sound, isn't it? But I have to say, your starter might not be dead yet. Sometimes people toss them too soon. Sourdough starters can look lifeless and still come back with just a few days of regular feeding. I kept one in the fridge for three weeks once, and it was fine after a couple of feedings. Next time you think you've messed up, just keep feeding it once a day for a few more days before you start over.

rowan_butler9321d ago

Actually, quick humble thought here - keeping a starter in the fridge for three weeks can sometimes work, but it depends on how established it is. I've had a few that went dormant and came back fine, but also a couple that just got overtaken by mold or that weird pinkish orange stuff. Your mileage may vary, but for a newer starter, three weeks in the fridge is rolling the dice pretty hard. Take this with a grain of salt, but I've found that even a week without feeding in the fridge can make a young starter smell like nail polish remover, which is usually a sign it's starved and might not bounce back.

lee_bailey6521d ago

Rolled my eyes at that fridge three weeks advice but kept reading anyway. My starter went on a two week vacation in the back of the fridge and came out smelling like a biology experiment gone wrong. Had to toss it and start over from scratch, felt like I wasted three months of flour and patience. Guess some people get lucky with that kind of neglect but mine clearly didn't get the memo.