This is the silliest comment I've ever left BUT just had to say I really enjoyed this newsletter in part because I read the word "sweet" in like paragraph ~3 exactly when Taylor Swift sang the word "sweet" on the song I was listening to at the moment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsZ6tROaVOQ. Starter moment made in heaven. (I also enjoyed the post for other reasons.)Thank you for the super interesting intro to stiff/sweet levains!
Oh yes! Sounds wonderful! Just hope you have text and /or directions for after. Some of the stuff in the stores has so much other preservatives or oils, don't want to eat it.
I'm curious about what your source is for sucrose specifically being the best option. I've noticed too that in similar doughs (e.g. primo impasto for panettone) sucrose must be used. I wonder why never glucose, or fructose, or a combination, etc... Note this seems to only apply for the "pre-ferment"/"levain" portion; the second/final dough can use purely glucose/fructose, like honey for instance.
The "sweet starter" method is derived from sourdough panettone methods. I did a bit of digging, and could find no definitive requirement that the sugar in question be sucrose. Which makes me think that it is used because it is convenient, available, easily measured, uniform, etc. but not because other sugars cannot work similarly. I'm guessing honey or some other sugar would work too, but you'd need to do some testing to know how much to use.
"The point of the sugar is to induce an osmotic effect as well as contribute to flavour. The lower the molecular weight of the sugar, the greater its osmotic effect. E.g., 20% glucose will lower water activity more than 20% sucrose. Fructose, although lower in MW than sucrose, is easily converted to acetic acid by LAB and tastes sweeter than sucrose.”
The osmotic effect is what inhibits the growth of the lactic acid bacteria. So yes, any sugar *will* work, sucrose is economical, efficient, reproducible, etc.
Interested in the Flatbread workshop.
Hi Andrew, I am interested in the flatbread workshop but cannot make that time. Are you going to record it? Could I buy a recording?
Yep, as always it will be available to download after the fact, so just sign up and you will get a link!
I’d very definitely be interested in this workshop.
This is the silliest comment I've ever left BUT just had to say I really enjoyed this newsletter in part because I read the word "sweet" in like paragraph ~3 exactly when Taylor Swift sang the word "sweet" on the song I was listening to at the moment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsZ6tROaVOQ. Starter moment made in heaven. (I also enjoyed the post for other reasons.)Thank you for the super interesting intro to stiff/sweet levains!
Yes to pita and dippy things.
Hi Andrew, I am interested in the Flatbread workshop.
I'm interested in the flatbread workshop. Any chance you'll include whole grain flatbreads?
Yep! The recipe I just made today was with GroundUp bread flour
Would love a Zoom on Lavash, the old fashioned way, not sourdough.
there will be both, but the real old fashioned way IS sourdough!
Oh yes! Sounds wonderful! Just hope you have text and /or directions for after. Some of the stuff in the stores has so much other preservatives or oils, don't want to eat it.
Can't wait!
I can't wait to try out some of these recipes. I've only started sourdough about 6 months ago. Watched a zillion YouTube videos & read a ton.
Had a few heavy bricks but they still tasted great. Definitely a delicious learning curve!
I'm curious about what your source is for sucrose specifically being the best option. I've noticed too that in similar doughs (e.g. primo impasto for panettone) sucrose must be used. I wonder why never glucose, or fructose, or a combination, etc... Note this seems to only apply for the "pre-ferment"/"levain" portion; the second/final dough can use purely glucose/fructose, like honey for instance.
The "sweet starter" method is derived from sourdough panettone methods. I did a bit of digging, and could find no definitive requirement that the sugar in question be sucrose. Which makes me think that it is used because it is convenient, available, easily measured, uniform, etc. but not because other sugars cannot work similarly. I'm guessing honey or some other sugar would work too, but you'd need to do some testing to know how much to use.
This just in, from Ian Lowe:
"The point of the sugar is to induce an osmotic effect as well as contribute to flavour. The lower the molecular weight of the sugar, the greater its osmotic effect. E.g., 20% glucose will lower water activity more than 20% sucrose. Fructose, although lower in MW than sucrose, is easily converted to acetic acid by LAB and tastes sweeter than sucrose.”
The osmotic effect is what inhibits the growth of the lactic acid bacteria. So yes, any sugar *will* work, sucrose is economical, efficient, reproducible, etc.