Started my sourdough starter on Wednesday. On Sunday morning there was a crust on top. I stirred it vigorously until all of the chunks of the crust had broken up, then stirred it some more until I felt no more chunks. Then I put a tighter seal on the bowl.
Can I still bake a loaf tomorrow (Monday)? Or should I throw it out and start over again?
*If my recipe says one cup (120g) of sourdough starter, do I just replace one cup each of flour and room-temperature water? And how long until I can use it again?
Here’s another tip for sourdough starter: If you get tired of the feeding/dumping routine, or if you’re just going to be otherwise occupied and unable for some reason to tend your starter, paint it generously on the back of a very clean cookie sheet and allow it to dry. You can then flake it off and freeze for use whenever you wish.
To reconsititute, mix equal amounts of flour and water, add a good bunch of flakes from your dried starter and let it do its thing as usual. Good as new. Repeat as desired.
A mixed bag. The crust was so hard as to be inedible, the bread proper was fluffy and had just the right amount of “tang” one expects in sourdough. I think I used too high a temperature; the website said 425, next time I’m doing 400. Also not kneading it for so long.
Doesn’t sound too bad for a first attempt. The crust bit is puzzling though. The recipe I use requires that you stand a bowl of water in the oven during the bake, which I have done for a few of the batches, and that makes the crust more crumbly. You could try that if the problem persists.
Did you do the windowpane test? Tear off a small piece of dough and spread it between your fingers. If you can get it thin enough to see light through, the gluten has sufficiently formed and you can stop kneading. If it tears before you get that thin, keep kneading!
Starters are a lot more resilient than you might think. Unless they turn pink/red, they’re fine. Just stir it up. Maybe add a few more mils of water, and keep a lid on it next time.
As to baking temp, I don’t know. I bake mine at 500F for 20 minutes and turn it down to 450F for another 20. I like a substantial crust, and it’s certainly harder than Bunny Bread, but I wouldn’t call it inedible, more like “chewy”. That said, lower temps and longer bake times will lead to a softer crust. Add some fat to the dough if you want it even softer.
As for steam in the oven, I don’t usually get good results with a pan of water (though I’ve been practicing). A Dutch oven is a foolproof way to trap steam. Take the lid off after 15-20 minutes or so and let the loaf brown.
