Attempting Tartine's basic country bread
I'm trying to bake the basic country bread from Chad Robertson's book "Tartine Bread".
I've followed the description for making a starter faithfully (p. 45/46). In Step 2, it says that "a dark crust may have formed", that we should "note the aroma and bubbles caused by fermentation" and that "the culture smells strong like stinky cheese".
After 2-3 days, I do notice a darkening of the top and there is a strong smell. However, the top is soft and there are a few spots of gold/brown liquid. There are no bubbles and the culture is very gooey and hard to get off the fingers. (Nothing like the photos on p. 44, assuming that these show the starter after 2-3 days.)
When this happened the first time, I thought that something was wrong. I speculated that the temperature may have been too low. I say this because, following the direction "place in a cool, shaded spot", I left the culture at 18 C (64 F). So the second time, I did exactly the same, but I placed the starter in a different spot that is continuously at 20 C (68 F). The outcome is the same, so I take it that the temperature is not the issue.
Is this what is supposed to happen or has something gone wrong? If so, do you have any suggestions for what I should try differently?
Best Answer
You're almost certainly fine. 2-3 days is too early to really tell; and often the most off-putting period, both visually and olfactorily. Unless there is visible mold (green, black, or pink), I'd keep going.
Your culture is fighting for it's life right now, waging a battle against all the other natural bacteria that you don't want in your starter. Give it a rousing speech after feeding and carry on. Good luck on your new hobby!
Pictures about "Attempting Tartine's basic country bread"
What is special about Tartine bread?
This bread has just the right amount of sourdough flavor. The crust is super crunchy, and the interior is soft and airy. It's really hard to wait for the loaves to cool before breaking into them, but it's essential to let the loaves continue to complete the baking process once they have been removed from the oven.What is the hydration in Tartine country loaf?
In tartine bread chad states hydration of country loaf at 75 %.How do you score a country loaf?
Use your hand to smooth flour evenly on loaf. Use a bread lame to \u201cscore\u201d bread with 1/4\u2033 deep designs (have fun and get creative!). Place a metal pan 1/3 full of water on the bottom rack of your oven. This will steam while bread is baking which helps create a delicious crispy crust!What kind of flour does Tartine use?
Unlike most leavens made with white flour, he uses 50 percent white and 50 percent whole-wheat flour.Tartine For Dummies: Gluten Gone Wild
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