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Sweet Sourdough Bread Question

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Q: I love your web site! I think it is the best site I have ever read. WOW!
I tried the sourdough bread and see attached picture how it turned out LOL I was hoping you might be able to tell me what I did wrong. Is it possible to let it rise too long?
When you take out a cup to make bread do you feed the original starter that is left then or do you wait 3 days?
Is the dough a little sticky or should I add a little more flour?

When it said to let rise 5 hours or all day is best I let is rise for ½ a day and all night. It did rise some but then the next morning it was flat like the picture. See attached Picture. Was that too long to let it rise? The only other thing I can think of might be that the potato flakes I used were not plain but the flavored buttered ones in a pack……

Renee

A: Wow, that was a really nice compliment!

I keep my starter in a quart size mason jar which might work easier for you than a baggie. You could even use an old spaghetti jar.

You feed the starter about 8 hours before you take out the starter to make bread. You can wait three days to make bread again and feed it at that time about 8 hours before you make the bread. However, you can feed it over and over again – everyday if you wanted to make bread everyday. The 8 hours gives the yeast time to grow and feed and get stronger before you make the bread.

I put the starter into a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, stir until combined, coat the bowl and dough with a little oil, and then let it rise in a warm place for several hours. I sometimes add 1 – 2 TBSP. of dry active yeast. It isn’t necessary, but it can help the bread dough rise faster. You want the dough to double.

As for the rise time. If you let the dough rise (if you have not added yeast) for more than 12 hours it will probably deflate and not be good bread. I generally will put the dough in the oven in the evening with the oven light on to keep it warm and let it rise over night, punch down the dough, form into loaves and let it rise in the loaf pans before baking.

The dough is a nice soft dough, not too dry, and not too wet. It may be a bit sticky, but not bad. A good bread dough will feel like a babies bottom. But the proportions of flour to liquid in this recipe are pretty right on. I wouldn’t add extra flour for anything other than sprinkling a bit on the board when you turn it out and maybe on top to keep it from sticking to your hands when you shape it into loaves. Just be sure you measure correctly and that the flour you use is not compacted. You can either sift it or fluff it up with a spoon good before you measure it. Then it isn’t a bad idea to spoon the flour into your measuring cup. Plain potato flakes are what I use.

I hope that answers your questions!

Let me know how the bread turns out and if you have any other questions! God bless you!

Melissa Ringstaff

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2 Comments

  1. I used this recipe a ton a few years ago, but now I can’t find the sweet sourdough recipe anywhere on your site. Could you point me in the right direction?

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