Sourdough: which starters best?

[newbiechef]

ok, i am wanting to make my own sourdough here, but see millions of recipes on the internet and in every book... some breads are french bread like, some are very dense, some use all kinds of different starters and recipes for making the bread afterwards. so i ask, which starter is best to use, the spongy liquid one, or the doughier one? secondly is there a nice easy frenchbread type recipe for the starter? ive seen some that add like melted butter, eggs, etc. while others have to add flour and water... thats it... also i like a good, stout sourish flavor to it. would somebody, professional bakers and extreme sourdough enthusiasts, mind giving me a nice easy starter recipe that i can keep in my fridge, and also a simple sourdough bread recipe as well?



also... what is bread flour and why do so many recipes call for it? could i use straight up all purpose flour instead?

thanks everyone.

[BettyR]

Hi newbiechef,
I have been doing some research on breads myself. I just ordered a book called The Bread Bakers Apprentice; I'm looking forward to getting that. But I also found some good information online.

If you will go to http://breadtopia.com/ their baker Eric Rusch has a whole section of videos on the left had side of the page that is dedicated to sour dough breads and starters; they are free to watch.

He provides a lot of basic knowledge to help you understand how to get and manage a starter.

Hope this helps you,
Betty

[newbiechef]

thanks, for the website, i will definitely have to check that out... and the book you mentioned, i am slightly torn between that one and the bread bible, which i believe has less recipes, but provides a better base of bread and allows for more creativity... or something like that... guess i may just need to get both... when i get a bit of cash that is...

[Eeyore]

As far as sour starters there are lots of recipes out there. I like using a biga, which is an Italian starter. It is dry. I have a recipe, I'll try to find it.

If you're wanting "french type bread" you are going to want to avoid adding much fat or sugar. They inhibit gluten development which is what gives french bread its chewy texture.

You can accomplish more sour flavor 2 ways: one is by allowing the starter to develop over a longer period of time, thereby developing more flavor. Another is by using a wild form of yeast. either one that you develop yourself or that you buy from a source probably off the internet. (maybe one from san fancisco, or check out King Arther's Flour Bakers)

Yes, you should use bread flour. You can use All purpose, but you will get a different result. Bread flour has more protein, which is what is needed to develop the gluten I mentioned earlier. Generally the amount of protein goes up starting with the least in cake flour, then pastry flour, all purpose, bread flour, high gluten flour.

Hope this helps.
eeyore