November 27, 2012 - 3:30pm
sourdough quick breads
I found a recipe here for sourdough banana bread, which uses a cup of sourdough starter in the batter. I've also made sourdough pancakes. The pancakes had the distinctive sourdough taste (a half cup of the starter fermented all night with the water and flour from the recipe). The banana bread did not. I've made it twice, and both times it just tasted like regular banana bread. Is it that my starter isn't sour enough, or just that the starter is stired in when the bread is mixed, right before going into the oven, and doesn't have time to ferment further? Is it supposed to be that way?
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And today I tried some oatmeal cookies with sourdough starter in them, but again, they just tasted like normal oatmeal cookies. I was hoping for a little of the twang to come through. I did let the starter ferment a couple of hours with some of the oatmeal.
The use of the starter is primarily as moisture,treated like buttermilk in the recipe. The idea originated with those who had discard and didn't want to toss it. I don't have discard as there is no reason once you have a healthy ongoing starter to toss any before you feed it. I learned that from David. I usually just feed my starter extra so that I can have enough to use it as an add in for pie dough and quick breads and pancakes etc. The other way to use "discard" if you feel you must toss it is to simply place 1/2 of what you have in another container and feed both a small amount. You have effectively discarded by cutting in 1/2 your stock amount. Hope this helps. c
Only thing I can think of for lack of 'tang' is that your pancakes were less sweet than the oatmeal cookies or banana bread. The sweetness would cancel out the sour of the sd...or so I guess because I know that is what happens in an enriched loaf....much less 'sour' flavor unless there is a long bulk ferment and proofing time.
If you want more sourness try increasing the amount of sd you use.
Have Fun,
Janet