Tried making sourdough from a starter my neighbor gave me and it came out like a hockey puck

Visited my aunt in Portland last month and she swore her 10 year old starter was foolproof, but after 12 hours of rising I ended up with a dense, flat loaf that even the birds wouldn't touch - has anyone else had a starter just not cooperate no matter what you do?

3 comments

3 Comments

luna_wright1mo ago

Oh man I had the same problem until I realized my kitchen was way too cold for the dough to rise!

ryan_barnes1mo ago

Wait, @ellis.faith did you try warming your oven just a little and letting it sit in there with the light on? My buddy Jake was pulling his hair out over flat loaves until he figured out his apartment was basically a fridge in winter. He started proofing his dough in the microwave with a cup of hot water and it came out way better.

ellis.faith1mo ago

Oh man, same thing happened to me with my neighbor's starter. I followed every step exactly like she said and it still turned out like a dense brick, I was so frustrated. Maybe it's just me but I swear some starters have a mind of their own.