[aaronatthedoublef]

I had two almost full quart jars of starter, one on the counter and one in the refrigerator. I've been using and feeding the one on the counter and used a lot to make sourdough bread and crackers this week so I brought up the one from the fridge. It builds up some alcohol so I check it every morning and pour off the hooch. I'll feed it and its sibling today. Maybe give them both some rye and check to see about the hooch build up at our now warm room temp.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I made BA's version of KAF sourdough crackers last night. I think I could have made them a little thinner and last night the olive oil I subbed for the butter was a little too assertive (whatever happened to "strong"). I'll have to try them again later today. Also, they may be too sour for my wife and daughter. But they are very easy. I can make some adjustments based on tastes. Cutting it with a pizza wheel gave me wonky shapes so I may use a biscuit cutter next time. I had some rulers but rulers, pencils, and Sharpies have a very short life here before they join the missing socks in the ether.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks BA. My starter is whole wheat and a little medium rye. I tried that to see the difference it might make.

I was thinking of subbing a little pastry flour for some of the bread flour because I don't have AP. I wouldn't replace it all - maybe a half cup. I'll have to figure out the math to bring the bread flour down to AP level. I might be able to pickup some KAF AP but I'm not sure if I will get to the store this week.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Sorry everyone for not keeping up...

BA, how pronounced is the sour in your raisin bread? The boys like sour sourdough. The girls do not.

Also I do not have any AP flour so maybe I'll add some pastry flour or cake flour to lower it.

KAF is odd - their pastry flour (8.5% I believe) has lower gluten than their cake flour (10% I believe).

When I emailed them and asked about that their respondent said he did not understand the question and suggested I call their hotline.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Len, just looked at your bread. It looks great!

[aaronatthedoublef]

I've made scones with Violet and sourdough bread this week. The scones were chocolate chip because Violet would rather have chocolate chips than raisins. I think at this point I would really rather have raisins.

At some point I'll need to make whole wheat again and I want to make another cake because the last one did not come out very well.

Had a small blowout on the sourdough - smaller than last time but less crusty. Still need to figure this out.

Still need to make raisin bread as that is the only bread we buy and an olive bread would be good too. The olive bread my family likes is a light tasting sourdough - more olive than bread taste. So if I can figure out how to do that everyone will like it.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Happy birthday Swirth! What kind of cake are you having and are you making it yourself?

Good to hear from Kid Pizza as well!

[aaronatthedoublef]

Brought my starter upstairs. It is currently warming and I'll feed it this morning and use it tonight or tomorrow morning.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Knew this from Bugs Bunny I think.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I had leftover egg whites because the recipe calls for 4.75 ounces and I ended up with 5.5 in the bowl before I tossed some. Wish I'd set it aside.

The cake texture was gummy which may have been because I added the sugar at the wrong time or because I undermixed it or both or something else entirely. But it tasted it good and my daughter helped me decorate it and everyone finished his or her piece.

Brought up the starter as the sourdough is almost gone and the second loaf of whole wheat. I'll make more of both this weekend.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by aaronatthedoublef.

[aaronatthedoublef]

I started a birthday cake last night. My oldest is turning 17 today and wants a "vanilla on vanilla" cake so I made a Cake Bible white velvet cake. I almost forgot the sugar but it didn't look right and I tasted the batter and the lack of 10.5 ounces of sugar was pretty glaring. I added it in and it's okay. Not pretty but it will taste good and frosting will hide a multitude of sins.

I saved the yolks but neglected to save the extra whites. I could have used those to make scones this weekend! Next time...

[aaronatthedoublef]

It's interesting because they can really only stop her from selling in Lincoln. She can sell outside the town. Likewise, CT can prevent me from selling in-state if I do not make things in an approved kitchen under the supervision of someone who is servsafe certified. But they cannot prevent me from selling across the border or stop people in home bakeries in other states from selling here.

I'm about 20 minutes from MA and I am exploring how much of my business would have to be in MA. I can setup the transactions there as well as setting up a post office box for mail and incorporate there too.

It's mostly an intellectual exercise at this point.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Thanks. Debra Wink does not distinguish between different types of rye. Ms. Wink is much more specific about bacteria than flours. I actually have about six pounds of KAF white rye and I am not certain why I bought it. I also have KAF "rye". It is probably time to make some rye bread again or at least try it in my starter.

[aaronatthedoublef]

My starter is WW because that's what the recipe on Serious Eats said to use. Debra Wink says white flour is okay but whole grains are better and rye is the best. Per the blog our starters don't "catch" yeast but rather they are attached to the grain and in the flour. Whole grains have more of the original so there are more yeasties.

I have a two half loaves of bread left and have to make a cake today so we should be good on bread until this weekend. I'll experiment with my starter then.

Thanks

[aaronatthedoublef]

This loaf is very different from my first in terms of texture. I think I could have baked it a little less. I doubled the size and this is what gave me a bigger loaf with a big crown over the edge the bread pan. This gave it a crisp crust and the whole loaf is chewier. Might also be because I under proofed it.

Learning every loaf!

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