When it comes to food, everyone's tastes and expectations are different. Some individuals like a loaf of sourdough that is more sour, and others prefer a loaf that is less sour. We have one of each types of people in our house. Our starter isn’t very sour, Darrold’s preference, so we have figured out some ways to make it more sour, Marty’s preference.
The baker has some control over the level of sourness. It's true! There are certain things you can do to make your loaf of bread more sour. Here are are 6 things to try if you prefer your sourdough bread to be more sour:
Longer fermentation
When it comes time to proof your dough, the longer you proof, the more sour the dough will be. As your dough proofs, the good bacteria eats up sugars and starches in the flour. This decreases the sweet undertone and creates a more sour undertone. The longer you ferment, the more starches and sugars the bacteria eats, and the more sour your bread will be.
Some people let the bread proof in the fridge for up to 48 hours! (or longer if you’re absent minded like we are. We have been known to forget a loaf in the fridge for 5-6 days. The bread won’t have as much loft but it will definitely be sour).
Try adding whole grains
Like our Fine or Coarse Rye Flour or Heritage Whole Wheat Flour - whole grains contain complex carbohydrates. These help the acetic acid-producing bacteria gobble up more sugars which produces a more sour loaf.
Doughs using more whole grains will not have the same loft as those using White or Bread Blend. The tradeoff is more well-developed flavor, and more nutrition. If you prefer a loftier loaf, play with the ratios of White to whole grain flours. It’s kind of fun to see how they differ at different percentages. You’ll land on your preferred blend - or it may be all whole grain.
Feed your starter less often
The longer you go in between feedings, the more acetic acid your starter will develop. This acid creates a more sour flavor.
Stir in any hooch
If you wait long enough between feedings, a gray or black “water” will develop on top of your starter. The liquid is called hootch. It is the alcohol given off as the wild yeasts ferment. That hooch is packed full of sour flavor so don't pour it off, just stir it in.
Add starter to recipe after it's reached its peak
The flavor of a sourdough starter is most mild when it has reached its peak. Add it to your recipe after it has reached this peak for a more flavorful loaf.
More stretch and folds
Typically, people do about 3-5 stretch and folds in the process of making a loaf of sourdough bread. If you do 2-4 more of them, it helps produce a more sour dough.
Try one or all of these tricks to make your sourdough bread more sour.
FAQs
Longer fermentation
As your dough proofs, the good bacteria eats up sugars and starches in the flour. This decreases the sweet undertone and creates a more sour undertone. The longer you ferment, the more starches and sugars the bacteria eats, and the more sour your bread will be.
What makes homemade bread taste sour? ›
The longer you ferment the dough, the sourer your bread will be. To get a fully fermented dough you need to ferment for about 6 to 8 hours. This will give you a mild sourness, but a fully fermented loaf. To increase the sour flavour, you need to ferment for longer.
What adds the sour flavor to sourdough breads? ›
The signature sourdough flavor comes from a combination of lactic and acetic acids, created as the dough rises and ferments. Refrigerating the dough encourages the production of more acetic acid, which is the tangier of the two. Thus, this bread with its refrigerated starter has the ideal balance of sour flavor.
How much vinegar to add to sourdough? ›
When baking a single loaf of bread, add a teaspoon and a half up to two teaspoons of white vinegar to the dough mixture. (For this measurement, a single loaf recipe has about 14 to 16 ounces of total flour.) I like to add the vinegar only after the dough has begun mixing.
Why is sour bread better? ›
Sourdough relies on a mix of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, rather than baker's yeast, to leaven the dough. It's richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest than bread made with baker's yeast.
What can I add to bread to make it taste better? ›
Several tasty ingredients like honey, olives and even bananas are used regularly to ramp up the classic bread recipe's flavor. Not only are these ingredients delicious, but when chosen wisely, they can also boost your bread's nutritional value.
Why is my sourdough bread not sour enough? ›
Using flours with more ash, or mineral, content, will yield more sour taste. If you can't get enough ash, adding a bit of whole wheat flour to your recipe, which is what is done with the 20% Bran Flour, will boost the sour of a bread. Conversely, using a lower ash flour will tend to produce a milder bread.
What causes sour bread? ›
The dough goes through a fermentation cycle until it is ready to rise and bake. A sourdough starter is made up of wild yeast and bacteria working together. The bacteria is where the sour flavor is coming from!
Why does my homemade bread have no taste? ›
Salt adds flavor to bread. If none or too little is used in a recipe, the bread will lack the right flavor and taste "bland." If you reduce the amount of salt, try adding some dried herbs to increase the flavor. Too much yeast in bread will give bread an off-taste.
What is the secret behind the sour of sourdough bread? ›
Sourdough bread's signature taste comes from friendly bacteria and yeast, which produce flavorful lactic and acetic acids in rising bread dough.
Sourdough is a stable culture of lactic acid bacteria and yeast in a mixture of flour and water. Broadly speaking, the yeast produces gas (carbon dioxide) which leavens the dough, and the lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid, which contributes flavor in the form of sourness.
Why is it called sourdough if it's not sour? ›
Sourdough bread is called “sourdough” because it is made using a naturally occurring yeast and bacteria culture known as a sourdough starter. The starter is a mixture of flour and water that is left to ferment over time, which allows wild yeast and bacteria to colonize it.
Why put apple cider vinegar in bread? ›
And It's not just cakes that benefit from a touch of vinegar, but also biscuits, muffins, and even bread. So when it comes to bread, it's the same concept – vinegar inhibits gluten formation which leads to a more relaxed and extensible dough, resulting in a less dense and chewy bread.
What is the secret to sourdough? ›
The secret to sourdough is simple: water. The more water you add to your dough will affect how open the crumb (bigger holes and softer texture) will be once it's baked.
What is the secret to fluffy sourdough? ›
Keeping the lid on for the first part of baking allows steam to expand between the gluten fibers to rise the bread and create a fluffy loaf. Step 4: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden brown. Once you take the lid off, the bread likely won't rise anymore.
How do you get sourdough flavor without starter? ›
This faux sourdough uses no sourdough starter, but it gets its tang from greek yogurt and is fermented at room temperature overnight. Baked in a dutch oven, it has a perfect crusty exterior and chewy interior.
Why does my sourdough bread taste like vinegar? ›
Is this normal? Yes. The lactic acid bacteria in your starter creates acetic acid, which is essentially a type of vinegar.
What does adding more sourdough starter do? ›
You want your bread to be less sour - using more starter decreases fermentation time, making your starter less sour - this is a personal preference, not everyone likes the sour taste, while some love it.
How to get sourdough to rise more? ›
So don't leave your dough in a warm oven, on a radiator or in sunlight. It will likely be too warm and will dry out your dough too. Instead, find a cosy spot, with no drafts, for your dough to rise. And, if your sourdough starter is struggling to get going, consider finding it a warmer spot too.
