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ress
4 Posts
Robin
Santa Rosa
California
USA
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 Posted - May 11 2022 : 7:45:00 PM
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| I have been making the GF quinoa bread for a few months now. The loaves tend to be quite dense. Then recently it seems like my starter isn't quite as active even though I feed it once a week in the refrigerator and haven't changed anything. What is the secret to making a less dense loaf? |
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Ashley
656 Posts
Ashley
MOSCOW
Idaho
USA
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Posted - May 12 2022 : 07:13:35 AM
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It sounds like your mother has lost some of its potency recently, or perhaps wasn't developed enough when it was moved to the refrigerator. I would move your mother to the counter and resume 2x/daily feedings for the next week or so. To ensure that the wild yeasts in your mother have ample oxygen to multiply, stir it for a little longer at each feeding. It's a small thing that can make a big difference.
Regarding the density of your quinoa breads, how dense are they? Do you see any air pockets throughout your loaves when you slice them after baking? |
Ashley Ogle |
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ress
4 Posts
Robin
Santa Rosa
California
USA
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Posted - May 12 2022 : 08:12:09 AM
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| Thank you! I will put it back out on the counter to liven it up. I do stir it a lot but will definitely stir more now. The recent loaves are very dense, which is new after weeks of not as dense. I do not see any air pockets through the loaves. Do you have a photo of what I am aiming for? I have been making my own flour by grinding quinoa in a Vitamix - seems like it may not be as fine as commercial flour - would that matter? |
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4 Posts
Robin
Santa Rosa
California
USA
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Posted - May 12 2022 : 6:14:31 PM
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| Hi Ashley - Once I put the starter on the counter for a week or so can i make bread during that week? Do i just take 1/2 cup of the counter starter and continue on with the advanced bread recipes? or can i take 1 1/2 cups out in the morning while it is on the counter and bake an advanced bread recipe? |
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Ashley
656 Posts
Ashley
MOSCOW
Idaho
USA
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Posted - May 13 2022 : 09:50:14 AM
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Hi Robin, the texture of the flour would make a difference. It's great that you're milling your own, but I wonder if you could mill it a little longer to get a finer texture? (I don't have specific experience milling flour in a Vitamix—we use a WonderMill.) I do definitely recommend milling your own flour over any store bought quinoa. We found that milling quinoa is the best option because store bought quinoa flours tend to be bitter. To read more about this, flip to p. 196 in Wild Bread.
Regarding the texture of your loaves, there are several pictures of the inside of quinoa loaves sprinkled throughout the Advanced Breads Section. Check out the bottom right corner of p. 69, the top right of p. 80, and the full-page picture on p. 158 for reference.
For the week that you have it on the counter, I recommend going back to the start and making a recipe from the Beginner Breads Section. This should make it easy to gauge how well your mother is performing. The main things you're looking for answers to are: Does it rise in roughly the same amount of time it did when you converted to a refrigerator mother? Is the amount of rise consistent with what you were seeing when you moved your mother to the refrigerator?
I'm hoping this helps get your mother back on track! |
Ashley Ogle |
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GF quinoa bread
