Sourdough, and Yeast Water Combinations
Sourdough, and Yeast Water Combinations From Sour to Sweet and Way Back Again
Previously, I posted details on the loaf I use as a 'standard', for purposes of testing. Link:A Standard KISS Loaf, or Keep It Simple Smiley The Fresh Loaf
In that post, I gave a table for three basic types of loaf - White Sourdough [WSD], Yeast Water Levain [YW], Sourdough & Yeast Water Hybrid [SD&YW].These three basic types were shown with there formulae given in two batch sizes, 680g and my 'standard' 478g
In this post, I provide photos of these 3 types, as baked in my standard nominal 478 gram size. At the end is a fourth type loaf, which I will simply call "Aged-SD". The four loaves generated a range of flavors, "nice tang", "fruit and sweet", "sweet with a mild tang", and finally "Strong tang with sweet overtones".
The first images are of the "Straight Sourdough" loaf. It gave a very nice, mild SD tang to the loaf.
This second set of images is from a totally Apricot YW loaf.There was no sign of any SD tang, nor any apricot flavor, however, there was a very nice flavor with a fruit-like sweetness, and the slightest hint of the type of "tang-like" taste one might detect in an apricot itself. 
This third loaf was a combination of the same sourdough culture used in the first loaf, and the apricot yeast water culture use in the second loaf.
I found the flavor was all I hoped for, a lovely blend of the sourdough tang and sweet, fragrance of the fruit with a slightly different tang from the Apricot YW.
This forth, and final loaf offers a flavor, not unlike the third loaf, but with a "jacked up" sourness. The "Aged-SD", is explained in the PDF copy of my baking log's detail comments, which you can access from Google Docs at the following link:Y-110610-07_Aged-SD+SD&AprYW_478 [Photos]_110611-1115.pdf - https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_MScoZfDZkwZmU4ZGIyM2EtMmE3OS00OWY5LWI0YjAtYjRkN2VmZTQwYzli&hl=en_US
Extremely good oven spring. Of course, the final rise went 6 hours + 45 minutes, and it was 40% bread flour in the dough. Nonetheless, the 11% levain, which was this first testing of Aged-SD surly didn't cut into the levain's ability to leaven this loaf. The top of crust was strong and very chewy. If you like a good good tang with note of apricot tang, but without identifiable fruitiness and a soft touch of sweetness, then, you would like the loaf's flavor. Crumb was more open than my recent enriched sandwich breads, but still more than tight enough to be an excellent sandwich and toast loaf. The levain method of adding Aged-SD most definitely accomplished my desired objective of combining SD and YW merits into a Hybrid Sour Sweet and Sour loaf.
Ron
Comments
Ron, Great write up ! It is very informative to see the comparison of your breads by SD, YW, and aged SD& YW. The last of aged SD sandwich bread should be served at the winery that people can taste with some wine, and cheese ( Gouda or something very classic one)with your bread.
I really admire your shaping and scoring skills!
Akiko
I though it might help some that had questions about mixing YW and SD. At lest it is there as a future reference, should anyone be searching.
Ron
A very thorough exploration of fruit and wild yeast bakes, Ron. A good write-up too, very informative for anyone who might be interested with fruit yeast. In fact,I'm slowly getting convinced with fruit yeast by yours and Akiko's posts.
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com
Sue, I do appreciate your comments. Yeast Water, no matter if it is made from herbs, vegetable, or friut, increases the tools at a baker's finger tips. I should think, like any other tool, a baker will find times to use one or more to accomplish the desired ends. In nearly all cases that I experienced, there is no SD tang, until after about 6 builds having flour in the mix. Thus, if one wish a tang, the sensible choice would seem to be to introduce some amount of SD into the levain builds. I was pleased to be able to confirm that fact.
Ron
for sharing your findings with us here on TFL. Unfortunately I have only my yeast water to play with but I'm not complaining. My breads are so much better since I started using yw. In the past, I used only yeast and with the hot humid weather in HK, I was a little worried that it may over proof. With yw, it takes a lot longer to rise but while I'm waiting, I can give it a couple of s&fs and I find that the dough is more tolerant to heat and humidity, unlike yeast. I love working with yw and I'm looking at different sourdough recipes to see if I can adapt them to the yw method. - Judy
Judy, I am pleased to see how well your breads have been turning out. You must be very please, as well :-)
Ron
I wouldn't have come this far had it not been for your simple explanation on multi levain builds. My best result to date is my non- Sourdough Spiced fruit batard adapted from Sue recipe using my apricot yw. I made another one using raisin yw but somehow the result was not as good as what I had achieved with ayw. perhaps its time to refresh and give my ryw a good feed, having neglected it somewhat while concentrating on my ayw - Judy
Yes, Judy, AprYW seems to do a good job of leavening and its flavor profile is an interesting one, as well. In fact, I making a loaf right now, using AprYW :-)
Ron