Hey all,
I’ve seen a lot of these posts pop up on my front page and it’s honestly made me want to try getting into the hobby, however I tend to jump into hobbies neck deep and drop them shortly after. Is there any way to test the waters without going down the rabbit hole? It seems like you need a lot of equipment and experience to get the best results.
Another thing is that I tend to dislike store bought sourdough as I’ve found most of it to be too tangy/sour. Do all sourdoughs taste like this, or would it be fairly easy to control when making your own bread?
Edit: sorry, I should clarify. I’m specifically talking about sourdough. I’ve baked bread before (though it’s been a long time) but most of the really good looking breads here have been sourdough.
The biggest requirement is the starter. After that, you really just need a bowl to mix and proof the dough, and a baking sheet or stone to cook on. Dutch ovens, proofing baskets, lames, etc are nice to have, but not necessary to make great bread.
I agree. Anyone with starter is going to be delighted to share. A digital kitchen scale for $20 is probably the most essential equipment you may not already have that you’d need for good results, and a bench scraper is handy for this and lots of other baking. I use a dutch oven, but just scissors instead of a lame, and prove in a mixing bowl. Other than that just get a bag of bread flour and try it out!
Thanks! On another note, are all sourdoughs super tangy? Not sure if it’s just the mass produced baguette I had (was white and spongy, don’t remember the brand).
No, there are lots of ways to make the bread more or less tangy. Feed your starter with bread flour instead of whole grains will reduce the acid for you. You can also increase the amount of starter in a recipe to reduce proof time, and proof at room temp.