All About Sour Dough .

[cookie1]

Not in the least.

[droverjess]

I think help is at hand.
A cousin who used to have an artisan bread business is going to visit near Easter, she is great fun and hopefully together we can crack the SD!!!!

[cookie1]

That sounds exciting DJ.

[judydawn]

You and your cousin will have a great time DJ, something to look forward to.

[Cornish Cream]

You will certainly have a great time with your cousin DJ.

[cookie1]

I've just taken my SD out of the oven. It even has a little bit hanging over the edge especially for DH. He loves the crusty bits.
This is from the starter that Chookie gave me at the Gracetown forumfest. I have managed to keep it happy. It has needed a bit of resurrecting on ce but is still going.

DH is cooking some corned beef in the Dream Pot.

[achookwoman]

Good work Cookie.  I am sure it has found a happy home.  Hope DH enjoys the bit hanging over. 

[Bedlam]

This is probably one of those dumb questions but do you feed the sour dough starter with bread flour?  Silly me has been feeding it plain flour hope it will be ok.

[achookwoman]

Bedlam,  shouldn't kill it but start feeding bread flour.  The only problem you will have is that it won't have as much gluten when you come to making a loaf.            If you have some 'bread improver' add 1 teaspoon of this when you make a loaf. 

[Bedlam]

Thank you. I think i misinterpreted  Hugh fearnley- Whittingstall when he made sour dough!
Should always ask our bread queen. Its still bubbling and i have managed to get through most of the 64 ages on the thread.

[achookwoman]

Bedlam,  people try to make SD sound more complicated than it really is.  Once you get into a habit of making it you will find it easy.  Remember that you can use it to make pancakes as well. 

[Bedlam]

A query regarding the starter. I have been leaving mine out of the fridge and feeding daily to make a loaf every few days. I forgot to feed it yesterday and this morning it has some yellowish liquid on top ( fine, i think just stir it in) but also a white powdery looking substance, possibly mould! Should i be worried? I have a spare in the fridge.

[judydawn]

I'd just remove it Denise, sometimes I forget to stir that liquid in for a while and it goes awfully grey so I remove that too.  If I remember to do it more often, like you I just stir the liquid in but anything which looks a bit suss, I just remove a few layers from the top.  I only take my starter out of the fridge when I want to make a loaf, the day beforehand.  I feed it several times that day, one late at night then it's all ready to go the next morning.

[Bedlam]

Makes more sense Judy, will do that in future.

[cookie1]

I do the same as Judy. Otherwise it lives in the fridge. You only need a little in the fridge and feed it up when it comes out.