I love that this was traditionally made using sourdough starter, and wonder if there are any tips for converting (back) to this from commercial ye...

...ast? Thanks

Amanda Waddell
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  • 10 Comments

10 Comments

AntoniaJames January 12, 2017
Amanda, if you give me the hydration percentage of your starter, I'll post details on how to convert. Do you use equal parts of water and flour when feeding your starter? Or some other ratio? I convert bread recipes on a fairly regular basis so just let me know. ;o)
 
Amanda W. January 12, 2017
Hi Antonia! My starter is 100% hydration (equal parts water/flour). Thank you for your help!!
 
AntoniaJames January 12, 2017
Okay, here goes.
Do as it says, except reduce yeast to 1/2 teaspoon, and if you need to proof it (I prefer instant yeast because it doesn't need this extra step) do so in 138 grams of the liquid. Mix 60 grams of starter into the 138 g water + yeast mixture until well blended. Proceed with the recipe except use only 220 grams of flour. If that works well, the next time you can try 80 grams of starter and reduce the liquid and flour each by 40 grams, not 30 (as I've just done). I like to start with a small percentage the first time I convert.
You'll have a much longer rise time, as you know, using less yeast. Let us know how it turns out!
Cheers,
AntoniaJames P.S. If you want to use no yeast at all, expect an even longer rise time, and make sure your starter has been well fed regularly for 3 or 4 days before trying this. I'd use the small bit of yeast here, given the near preponderance of raisins.
 
Amanda W. January 12, 2017
Thanks again! This is so helpful. Appreciate you taking the time.
 
AntoniaJames January 12, 2017
You're welcome. Thinking about this a bit more, it occurred to me that I'd probably use 148 and not 138 grams of liquid, given the low hydration ratio - only 67% -- as originally formulated. Have fun! ;o)
 
Ted January 12, 2017
This recipe uses poolish rather than sourdough, but it'll get you closer to where you want to go with using sourdough. I put the page through google translate.

http://blog.giallozafferano.it/pastadimandorla/pan-tramvai-ricetta-milanese/
 
Amanda W. January 12, 2017
Thanks so much Ted! Will check out.
 
Emiko January 12, 2017
I have yet to experiment with doing this with a starter but I would imagine my first step would maybe be to find a simple raisin bread recipe that uses a starter and follow those steps initially but then for the filling and shaping, taking cues from this special bread -- ie, use the an equal weight amount of raisins that are soaked in the same way and fill and shape the bread the same way as in this recipe. Does that make sense?
 
Amanda W. January 12, 2017
Makes total sense! Thanks for providing your insight. I'll experiment and update if I'm successful :)
 
Amanda W. January 12, 2017
Makes total sense! Thanks for providing your insight. I'll experiment and update if I'm successful :)
 
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