Sourdough question

[celiacmaine-iac]

Has anyone here made a GF sourdough starter that actually tastes like sourdough? I made Carol Fenster's and while it has a nice yeasty aroma, it doesn't have that sourdough tang. A couple people who have made GF sourdough said theirs wasn't really tangy either. I guess I'd like to know why bother if it isn't sour? The sourdough starters I've seen have started with rice flour. I'm wondering if a different grain would give a better flavor. Has anyone tried anything like sorghum or teff? I did use the starter I have and made sourdough pancakes using the recipe in my old King Arthur cookbook (converting it to GF, of course.) They were good pancakes, but not like sourdough pancakes I've had pre-GF.

My kitchen tends to be cool in the winter, so I kept the starter in the warm area behind my wood cookstove while I was fermenting it. It seemed to bubble some, but not as much as I expected.
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Steph

[mrsppmrxky]

Steph, I was reading today about how to make a sourdough starter. (I am having fibro fog right now, so I will have to investigate where I read the recipe. LOL)

This starter was made with Instant Potato Flakes. I remember reading it and thinking that would have ot taste pretty good, but could not think of what to substitute the Potato flakes with for MrP. (The instant potatoes are a definite no for his allergies)

You had to feed the starter with the potato flakes.

I will have to get back with you on it as soon as I can remember the details. SOrry.
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[celiacmaine-iac]

Thanks Mrs P! No hurry. I hope you feel better soon! (())
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Steph

[mrsppmrxky]

Steph, I still have not been able to locate the recipe that I read. I think that it was in some papers I was purging this weekend.

I did look it up on Google and it was potato and you start it with yeast. Then I did a google search and it suggested flour to start the brew. I think if you go with the recipe that has no yeast in it and you want to start with a flour that if I were to try it, I would go with sorghum or possibly millet as the second choice.

I know over on the gf delphi site, they were having a discussion on how to make a gf starter, but I never really followed that thread. (I have to much trouble remembering what day of the week it is at times and I am sure I would forget to 'feed the starter' and ruin it after all that work.)

Wish I could be of more help. I do know that if you want the 'stronger flavor' they recommend that you do not go with the yeast in the recipe because that provides that one is much milder in taste.

I am interested in your results! But, with all that is going on, I just can't see myself joining in on the lab work of this one. (I will observe your results though! LOL)
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[celiacmaine-iac]

Hmmm. Interesting about the yeast. I've read about doing it without yeast; you are actually capturing wild yeast that's in the air, but I remember reading that sometimes when you do that you get icky wild yeast that ruins the starter. Well, it's only a few cents worth of flour that would be wasted if it didn't work. I may get out my cauldron later this week...and your little dog too! If you see anyone out flying around on a broom, you'll know it's me! Actually it would probably be a mop because I'm right in the middle of spring cleaning. Thanks for the info! Hope you have a wonderful visit with Had and that precious grandson of yours and am hoping you get tons of slobbery-baby-sugar-kisses!
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Steph

[mrsppmrxky]

LOL, I don't have a dog, but I will hide my 2 cats just to be on the safe side. LOL

I can hardly wait to get slobbery baby kisses........ (pssst, I don't know if you heard or not, but JD maybe getting a little brother or sister around Thanksgiving time.)
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[operater]

This is from red star yeast company
I make alot of there other gluten free breads but have not tried the sourdough yet.



Sourdough Starter
Rice flour has the ability to ferment easily, creating a wonderful base for delicious breads with a slightly sour flavor. Once made, the sourdough starter can be used over and over again. Replenish it each time it is used to nourish the yeast and keep the starter alive. As the starter gets older, the flavor will become tangier; baked products made with "aged" starters will have more sourdough flavor. The starter serves as the leavening so no additional yeast is needed.

To make a starter: In a 4-cup glass, plastic or stainless steel container, combine 1 cup water (110 to 115 degrees F) with 2 1/4 teaspoons RED STAR® Active Dry Yeast and 1 1/2 cups white rice flour. The mixture will be thick. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil. Let stand in a warm place one to three days, stirring 2 or 3 times each day. The starter will "rise and fall" during the fermentation period; it becomes thinner as it stands. When the starter is developed, it is bubbly and may have a liquid layer on top; stir into the starter before using. The starter can then be used for baking or placed in the refrigerator to use later.

To replenish starter: Always have at least one cup of starter left over and add 1 cup of water (110 to 115 degrees F) and 1 1/2 cups of white rice flour. Cover loosely and let stand in a warm place 12 hours. The starter can then be used for baking or placed in the refrigerator to use later.
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Jan

[Home-Based-Mom]

Thanks for posting this.

A while back I bought some Gluten Free Pantry French Bread Mix with the idea of making soudough French bread, but didn't even know where to start sorting out all the overwhelming sourdough starter choices, so the box sits unopened.

Sigh.

I think I can handle the instructions above by using the yeast packet that comes with the mix.

[celiacmaine-iac]

[Pattrish]

Since I'm still fairly new, I've been reading threads. I also love "sour" sour dough and really miss it...even before I went GF, this type of bread was getting hard to find.

While NGF, I read in a King Arthur's Flour catalog about adding sour salt to a sour dough recipe to sharpen the taste. Sour salt is actually granulated citric acid (I ordered some).

This thread has given me some leads for maybe making the effort to give sour dough a try...thank you very much.
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