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Sourdough | Fermentation
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04/26/2026

Used a milk starter (stiff sweet) to make this milk enriched loaf. I wanted a sandwich style crumb but I feel like she’s a little too tight lol

Otherwise flavor and crunch were great.

I’ll have to up the hydration and do more gentle shaping next time 🖤🌾

04/25/2026

If you want a mild, low tang loaf, this is it ✨

Molasses sourdough:
340g bread flour
10g spelt
95g molasses stiff starter
252g water (~72%)
10g molasses
10g sugar
10g salt

Full instructions on my Discord. Link in bio 🖤🌾

This is the exact method I used to get a very mild sourdough loaf (not sour at all).Higher inoculation, a molasses stiff...
04/24/2026

This is the exact method I used to get a very mild sourdough loaf (not sour at all).

Higher inoculation, a molasses stiff starter, and a shorter bulk changed the entire fermentation speed and outcome.

Posting my full notes so I can replicate it and for anyone who wants a softer, low-acid sourdough

Mild Sourdough notes to self & anyone else 🖤🌾

Molasses Stiff Starter Build

25g starter
50g flour
25g water
5–8g molasses

Notes:
50% hydration (stiff)
Molasses 10–20% of flour

Behavior

Warm: peaks 3–5 hrs
Cooler: peaks 7–9 hrs

Ready when:

Slightly domed
Expanded, not collapsing
Smells mild/sweet (not acidic)

Final Dough Formula:

340g bread flour
10g spelt
95g molasses stiff starter
252g water (72%)
10g molasses
10g white sugar
10g salt

Mixing Method (KitchenAid):

1. Mix: water + starter
2. Dissolve into that: molasses + sugar
3. Add flour: mix until combined
4. Add salt
5. Mix to full gluten development: critical for structure (sugar speeds fermentation)

Bulk Fermentation:

Time: 5 hours (warm environment)

Cues
30–50% rise
Surface bubbles
Posterior bubbles
Fold lines still slightly visible
Dough may look under, but is actually ready

Feels fully fermented, not under

Shaping:

High tension (“shoelace” style)
Dough:
airy
structured
not slack

Proofing:

Counter: 30 minutes
Fridge: 9 hours

Results:

Flavor: very mild
Crumb: soft, slightly enriched
Structure: strong
No sourness

Why This Worked:

Fermentation control

High inoculation: faster bulk
Shorter timeline: less acid buildup

Starter behavior

Stiff starter: lower acidity
Molasses build: sugar-adapted culture

Dough environment

Sugar + molasses: increased yeast activity
Bread flour: maintained structure under speed

04/23/2026

Charcoal starter experiment 🖤🌾

She peaked in 4 hours. The only problem is the charcoal affected gluten development significantly in the dough.

Note:
Didn’t affect the taste
Peaked in 4 hours (normal yeast activity)
Seemed to make it taste less acidic (likely masking, not actually reducing acid
Negatively affected gluten development
-dough stayed loose
-didn’t come together well
-weaker overall structure
No real benefit, mostly a visual/experiment

If I try again:
Use lower hydration (60-65%)
Use higher protein flour

04/21/2026

First mistake: 100% bleached flour for absolutely no reason lol oh to practice scoring.

Otherwise, did not handle well.
It can totally work but needs to be supported by other flours.

04/19/2026

On my quest to make a milder loaf I accidentally stumbled upon the Lievito Madre. She definitely came through for me 🥰 yum yum.

Thank you to the person who commented this on my stiff sweet starter post 🥰

So the Lievito Madre is a traditional Italian stiff sourdough starter.

You maintain it with frequent feedings and sometimes washed to keep the acidity low and the yeast strong.

100g Manitoba Oro
40g LM
45g water

04/19/2026

Chocolate Oatmeal loaf with a chocolate
Starter 🍫🤎

350g flour (300g AP, 50g spelt)
262g water
80g chocolate starter
40g rolled oats + 40g hot water
(soaked for 10-15 mins)
25g brown sugar
20g cocoa powder
10g salt

04/19/2026

Plain loaves are my favorite 🥰

320g AP flour
20g Manitoba oro
10g spelt
70g starter
10g salt
20g sugar

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Coral Springs, FL

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