That Friday my sourdough starter finally worked after two months of flat loaves.

I followed a tip from a baker in Portland to keep it in my oven with just the light on, and the next morning it was bubbling like crazy, so I baked a loaf that actually had an ear and didn't taste like a brick. Anyone else have a weird trick that finally fixed a long-running baking fail?

3 comments

3 Comments

oscar_ellis11d ago

Honestly, the oven light trick is a total game changer. I was ready to give up on my starter too until I tried that. My weird fix was using a bit of whole rye flour in the feed, it just made everything more active. Sometimes the smallest change makes all the difference after weeks of frustration.

sandrat2411d ago

Actually, my oven light was too warm and killed it.

holly_sanchez758d ago

That oven light trick is basically just baking your starter. Sure it gets bubbly, but it's the yeast equivalent of a caffeine rush. It gets active fast because it's stressed and hot, not because it's actually healthy. A good starter should be able to live on your counter, not in a proofing box. The rye flour thing makes more sense, that's actual food for it.