Mistakes That Are Totally Ruining Your Sourdough Starter
NEWS
BY SARAH MOORE
Wrong Water
Jill Weatherburn of Baking Mad says, "Chlorinated water can interfere with [the starter's] natural process by disrupting the yeast and slowing down fermentation."
Caitlin Vincent of The Sourdough Baker suggests filtering your water: "A simple carbon filter [...] can remove most of the chlorine while keeping beneficial minerals."
Hot Water
Modernist Cuisine's Nathan Myhrvold explained that water "hotter than 97 degrees Fahrenheit can harm the yeast and prevent the starter from developing properly."
Bleached Flour
According to Vincent, the bleaching process that bleached flour undergoes "removes or damages key nutrients and microorganisms that support fermentation."
Single Flour
Your starter should have multiple flours. Weatherburn says, "[This] can add depth to the flavor of your sourdough, making it more complex and slightly tangier."
Look for flours that provide structure and support. She added, "Some bakers like to mix in whole wheat or rye flour, as these contain more natural wild yeast and minerals."
Additions
Accelerants like fruits or water don't speed up fermentation, and relying on different sugars at the beginning of the process can lead to negative results.
