Pro tip: let your sourdough starter tell you when it's ready, not some app timer

I read a post yesterday where a bakery owner in Portland said she listens for a specific fruity smell before baking and I swapped my 24-hour schedule for that and got my best crumb yet, has anyone else ditched the digital guides for sensory cues?

2 comments

2 Comments

max_ramirez488d ago

That "fruity smell" tip is spot on. I started paying attention to the tiny bubbles on the surface of my starter, not just the big ones, and waiting until it smells almost like overripe pears before I mix the dough. Ditched my 24-hour timer months ago and my loaves finally stopped being gummy in the middle. What does your starter smell like right before it gives you that perfect crumb?

the_jake8d ago

Love hearing someone else who figured out the bubble thing too... mine smells more like a sweet apple right when it peaks and that first open crumb shot still makes my day.