Hamelman Appendix Sourdough Culture

8/10/2019 Hamelman Appendix Sourdough Culture

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Appendix

Developing and Perpetuating

Sourdough Culture

There is so much confusion and misink lrtn3tionsurrounding thelopic of making a sourdough culture lhal, evcn after more than aquarter (cnlury of workiog with sourJough (or p ~ r h a phecause

of thaI quarteT cenLlITv), I find mvsc.lf baffled and befuddled b)much of what I read Sometimes. it seems as if the baker has to hea SCiCOlc:'l ina lab coat and mask surrounded by lest tubes to makesourdough. Sometimes. it seems as if Lhe onl) wa)' o make .sourdough is to wait until Capricorn is somewhere or anolher in theskr. thl:' winds are lightly from the east. the moon is \vaxjng. anda s p ~ c i a l lypt: 1 crystal is hobhing ahove the bowl of nom andwater


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Sourdough andlchemy

The suffusingarom;u ofa bakery

filled with just-baked sourdoughb r e a d ~ have an allure that brings

us to a place of almoS[ precon

scious truth. It is tempti ng to sim

ply StOP in front of the fragrant

loaves. disregarding all the work

still around us: How perfectly the

cupped hands form around the

contours of the warm bread; how

(he subtle gradations of color draw

the y to pause and linger on the breadfriendly yeasts and bacteria

globe-like wholeness of each loaf. to take up residence in our litde

We feel as if we are tn the presence bowl of fragile culture; when ~

of some long ancient mystery. an keep the culture in harmonious

cient yet always renewed. balance for years, fresh and "igor

Bread baking has always ous, constant ly renewed, and b:lk

brought me in touch with the with it again and again, it is easy

ephemeral nature of life, and never to feel like an alchemist, and m o ~

more lhan when I am producing For rather than needless gold from

sourdough breads I have often base metals the baker's alchemy

maintained that sourdough repre is in the bringing together of

sents the true alchemy of the ingredients that on their own

baker. When we create a sour cannot uphold life and transform

dough culwre from seemingly ing them inco nourishing', life

Inerr flour and water, and coa sustaining bread.

Once water is added O tbe aour, rhe life cycle of the incipientt.ullure is begun After 24 hours in a wann room. the Oour-waterpaste \\;11 show signs of having risen The evidence of rise indicatesthe presence of gas within the bowl; the presence of gas means thatmetabolism is under way-yes, there is life in the bowl: A liltlecolony of microorganisms has begun taking up residence. At fir >t,

things aTe tentative and fragile. there is liLlle strength. the cultureis yulnerable to intrusion by non-bread-lriendly yeasts and bacteria Soon. a natural selection will take place. and i all goes well.heneficial strains of bactena will dominate the culture. They willwork to create an environment that favors their own perpetuation.the synergy between yeasts and bacteria sufficient to ward off theincursion of competing strains The baker, by providing food anLlwater in suffiCient quantity. at proper intervals. and keeping t h ~

developmg culture in a favorable temperature zone. ooes hi... or herpart to aid in the growth of the sourdough. Soon, thl: culture isstrong enough to make bread. and unfathomable Oavors fotlowalmost as i b) magiC.

Regional uniqueness is a fOTlunate characteristic of sourdough bread. The ambient yeasts and bacteria In one area will naturall) differ from those in another and breads from differentlocations have a ~ u b t l e distinctiveness of theu own. Although thet'

352 BIoead: B a k e r ' . ~ of Tec lmtque . and R ,lpea


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is a symbio tic stabiliLy between the yeasts and bacteria in a healthyculture. i a baker gets a knob of mature sourdough culLurc fromanother baker halfway around the world. it will lose some of Itsoriginal characteristics once the recipient baker has refreshed andworked with the culture in his home environment (in this sense.the Vermont Sourdough in Chapter 5 would be erroneou!>l)named if it were made in another area, thai formula and the sameproduction method will make Kansas Sourdough or FinlandSourdough or Wherever Sourdough).

Notes on Sourdough

Methods are ofIered helow for making three different styles ofsourdough culture' while liqUid levain, stiff-textured levam, and a

e culture. Before giving the actual methods for each type. a fewconsiderations are in ordcr:

Occasionally grapes, potato water, grated onions. honey and soon are added to Oour and water dunng the irutial phases of culture development. While these can prOVide an additional nUlntional boost. they are not required for success. GOl)d-qualll)nour will be sufficient to supply the needed nutrients to the culture.

Bleached nour is never appropriate when Lleveloping or perpetuating sourdough. Vital nutrients necessary to sustain the mIcroorganisms (not to mcntion the humans who later consume the

bread) are lost in the bleaching process. High-glu ten Oour is not a good Oour choice when beginninf; a

culture. Bemg higher in protein. it contains proportionally lessstarch, and much of the nutrient supply for the microorgamsmscomes from the starc:h.

Chlorinated water impedes fermentation and can be harmfulduring the fragile begmnmgs of culture development Chlorinegas rapidly dissipates, however. and by keeping an open jug ofwater on the counter for several hours. most alllhe chlorine will

dlSSipate. Filtered water and well water can. of course, bt:: usedto begin a culture.

Allor part rye nour is often used in the beginning slage of developing a culture that will eventually become all white. Rye isquite high in nutrients and fermentable sugars. and can help get

ppend1x 353


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Ideall), ild yeast in tbe culture (see "Sourdough andSalt" on page 357).

It is important to mention [he effect of cold temperatures on anatural sourdough cultUTe. According to Professor RaymondCalvel. "To maintain the viability of the culture, it is necessaryto ensure thal the temperature of the refrigeration chamberstays between 8 and 10C (46.4 and 50 0 n whenever the chefImature culture is retarded for periods of 48 hours or more. Atlower temperatures, part of the nora of the culture rna) bedestroyed. and consequent!} the taste of bread produced fromthis culture may be spoiled' The Taste oj Bread MasterMontreal bakerJames MacGuire adds . . Below SoC it tS usual forwHd yeasts in the culture to be destroyed. while the acetic acidbacteria will conti nue to thrive.

ppendlI 5 5


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ourdoughand alt

German baker1 employ a rech

nique called 5aJZStIuer in which up

[ 2 percent of salt IS included in

the sourdough phase (as in other

applications of baker's math, this

means that there is 1 percent salt

relatr..e to the amount of flour in

the sourdough). This allows the

sourdough to remain viable for up

to 48 hours before final dough

mixing I imagine the method was

also used in order to enable the

baker to have a day off in the days

before refrigeration was universal empirical rather than strictly sciin bakeri6}. The salt serves to entific), it is apparent that the wild

retard the tivity of the wild yeast and bacteria in sourdough

east in the cullure, prolonging cultures are strains that are not

full ripening. averse t o salt, since they continue

This merhod is not reserved to thrive when mixed into a salted

just for rye breads, and can be bread dough, We can surmise

used With similarly successful therefore, that no damage s done

results when using non rye cui ro a culture when salt is added to

tures. During hotter months , I fre sourdough an order to slow the

quently use this technique. JUSt to pace of its ripening. As for

prevent a sourdough from over amounts. it would ~ prudent

ripening In the 16 hours between to add salt to a sourdough in an

mixing it and then mixing the final amount that does not exceed the

dough. Is it detrimental to a cul percent us ed in the overall for'

ture to be in che presence of salt? mula, thac is, 1.8 to 2 percent.From a baker's perspective (chat is,

Below arc detailed methods for developing three uifferemstyles of sourdough culture All the sourdough breads in lhis book

are generated [rom one of these three. Il willbt :

noted thai at eachfeeding. a portion of the prior feed is thrown away. Thls is done solhallhe quantil ) of sourdough remains workabk At each feedingwe are addiog flour and water hat weigh approximatcl} thc sameas tI1C culture we arc adding it to, and if we didn't discard a porlion of the culture. '\Ie would soon need a cement mixer to holdlhe conlents of the culture.

The culture needs a certain mass in order 10 aUrae, needednora and build its strength. Although lhe wClghts given below canbe reduced. I I is recommended. even lor home lise, lhal the gIven

weights be observed so the culture can get off 10 a vigorous stan.

Appendlx 357


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elop ~ e In

DAY ONE. INITIAL MIX

Whole-rye flOUT .751b 300g 4.8 2 (1;' cups) 100

Water 941b 375 g 602 W cup) 125

Honey .03 Ib (.5 oz) 109 .2 02 (1 ESp) 3.3

68Sg 11 02TOTAL 1 n l b

Mix the ingredienls well, cover with plastic. and let stand in awann area (75 LO 80F) for 2+ hours. Medium rye nour can bused in place of whole rye. but avoid using whiLe rye nour.

DAY TWO. TWO FEEDINGS

Initial mix 451b 200g 5502 half of above) 111

Whole-rye flour .21b 90g 11 OZ ( I, cup) 50

White flour .21b 90g 1.2 2 ( I. cup) 50

Water.90F .51b 22Sg 3 2 ( I cup) 125

TOTAL 1.3SIb 605 g 10.902

Mix Lhe ingredlents well. cover with p l ~ L i cand let stano in awann area (75 0 10 BOOr) Ideally, Lhe 2 feedings should be 12 hoursapart. The white flour should be an unbleached bread nour \\iiLh 11La 11 percent protein

358 Bread: A Baker ' . Book of TecbnlquBll and Recipes


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DAYS THREE. FOUR. AND FIVE. TWO FEEDINGS

B

Initial mix .4S Ib 200 g 5S02(halfofabove) 111White flour Alb 180g 2.4 02 ('/, cup) 100

Water .sIb 225 g 3 oz If. cup) 125

TOTAL 1.3Slb 60Sg 10.9 QZ

?>.lix Lhe ingredients well. cover WiLh plastic, and leL sIano in awarm area (75 to 80F) Ideally. Lhe 2 feedings should be 12 hoursaparL B) day six., Lhe culture should have enough ripeness 10 beused for bread production. In order LO conunue developingslrength and complexity (heterofermenlative bacLeria), however,it may be fed (or 2 or 3 more days betoTe begmning LO use it. Inthat case, follow the same feeding schedule as for days three. four.and five.

Appendix 359


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eve I St i Levain Culture

DAY ONE INITIAL MIX

Whole-rye flour .651b 300g 4 oz (1 cup) SO

White flour .6S Ib 300 g 4 oz (1 cup) 50'lbWater .851b 390g S.6 OZ W cup) 65

TO rAL 2.151b ~ 13.602

Mix the ingredIents well, cover with plastic, and let stand in awarm area (75 La 80 F) for 24 hours. Medium rye can replace lhewhole rye, but aVOld using white rye flour. The whiLe (lour shouldbe an unbleached bread (lour wiLh 11 to 12 percent protein. Sincerye nour has a higher absorption rate than white, the hydration

will be 65 percem on day one, Note Lhat ftom here on, is reducedLO 60 percenl.

DAYS TWO. TRREE, FOUR. AND FIVE. TWO FEEDINGS

Initial mix .6Slb 300g 4.5 oz (one-third of above) 100

White flour .651b 300g oz (1 cup) 100

Water 39lb 180g2 4 2

(less than 1/. cup) 60TOTAL 1.691b 780g 10.902

Mix the ingredients well, cover with plastic, and lel stand in awarm area (75 to 80F). Ideally, Lhc 2 feedmgs should occur 12hours apart. By day six, the culture should have enough npeness tobe used for bread production. In order to continue developingstrength and complexity (heterofermentaLive bacleria), however. Itmay be feel for 1 or 3 more days before beginning to use it. In that

case, follow tbe same feeclmg schedule as for days two, three. four.and five.

36 Bread: A B a k u . Book of 1'echntqulJ'S lIDd Recipe.


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Convert ingLiquid LevainCulture toStiff-TexturedCulture

It is rarely pranicali or necessary,for the baker to develop and main

cain 3 or more sourdough cultures.

In my baking life. j find good use in

the mainten;ance of just' 2:-3 stiff rye

s.ourdough and a white liquid levOlin. Yet there have been instances

when I have come upon a formula

for a bread, and I can t resist [heurge to make it AliU it ails for a

stiff white culture . md alii halle is a

liquid one. While I could reconfig

ure the formula in it wav that allows

Mix the ingredients to a smooth paste, cover with plastiC, and letstand La a wann area (75 to 80F). Feedings should be roughly 12hours apart. On day seven, the culture can be used to make bread.It will have more vigor and flavor, however, if the feeding scheduleis followed for 2 or 3 more days. A common practice amongGerman bakers is to sprinkle the surface of the sourdough with ryeflour when the culture has been refreshed. This prOVides a bit offood source for the microorganisms within, and also acts anenvironmental buffer, helping to prevent the culture from drying.When the sourdough has ripened and risen, the [lour will look likeislands on the surface.

me to use a liquid culture. it is reallyno great matter to transform a bit

of liquid to stiff, and the resulting

bread will probably e a little doser

to the original Intent if made with

the stiffculture.

Let's suppose we want to con

velt a liquid culture to a stiff on

of 60 percent hydration. Here is

the method: The liquid culture

that I maintain has a hydration of

125 percent. This means that in

any given amount of culture, there

are 125 units of waterfor each 100

units of flour. For Visual ease. I willbegin the conversion by taking 225

grams of the liquid culture. Those

225 grams consist of:

Flour 100 gWater 125 g (125 hydration)

Total 225 g

36 Bread: A Bake r . Book of Technique . and Recipes

In the 225 grams of liquid culture,

125 ofthose grams are water- I

divide the 125 by 60 (the desired

hydration for the stiff culture);

125 60 = 2,08, The 2.08 repre

sents the weight of 1 unit (either

flour or water) in the new culture.

I know that there will be 100 units

of flour in the new culture, so now

I mulriply 2.08 X 100. This tells methat there will be 208 grams total

flour in the 60 percent hydration

culture. Since I already have 100

grams of flour in the initial liquid

culture, I simply add 108 grams offlour: 100 g + 108 g = 208 g. So we

halle:

Flour 208 g

Water 125 g (60% hydration)

Total 333g

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Hamelman Appendix Sourdough Culture