Re: Fermented foods
Originally Posted by
Azz
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My recipe for the sourdough was rye flour started with a bit of Kefir or yoghurt whey.
Ok. Rye is imo the best flour to use for a starter. However it needs no other help to become a good yeasty starter other than the addition of water. There is a general misconception that adding "stuff" to a starter will help it. Generally it doesn't help at all. For example some people throw sugar in there or baker's yeast or honey or some other ingredient. All this does is hamper the natural process and creates something the natural yeasts have to compete with.
Rye flour + water in the right proportion and kept at the right temperature is all that is needed.
Originally Posted by
Azz
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Then for the dough was 50% wheat and 50% spelt, with some olive oil and a little salt (and water). I do not used bleached (white flours).
50% wheat (I presume you mean wholewheat) is a high percentage and spelt can be one of the hardest flours to manage as it can make for a wet sloppy dough.
It is better to use a decent percentage of white bread flour in the mix until you have mastered all the techniques and then gradually increase the % of things like wheat or rye flour.
You should be able to get hold of good strong bread flour that hasn't been bleached. If you are in the USA then I believe Bob's Red flour is quite renowned for example.
Try a mix of 50% strong white bread flour with 25% wheat and 25% spelt.
The hydration level is important of course and again another are where you start in safe ground (around 55-60%) and then work up to higher hydrations of 70-80%.
To get good height on your loaf like the one in the picture you mentioned, cook the loaf in a tall pot or dutch oven which will support the sides as it rises. I just use a basic stainless steel cooking pot, shape the loaf into a boule and lower it into the pot using greaseproof baking paper.