Forum on sourdough starter and doughs

Pablo Andre · 2024-12-18T17:20:20Z

Hi, how are you? I have a problem with my pasta madre I wanted to know if you could help me. After refreshing it, it doesn't reach the desired growth. It reaches a pH of 2.2, but never exceeds double its volume. This happens during the refreshments before making the first panettone dough. Subsequently, the first dough triples its initial volume after 12 or 13 hours, but the pH always remains below 4.5/4.3. I normally store the sourdough starter in the refrigerator at 15 degrees Celsius and feed it five cold feeds and two hot feeds a week. I've done a lot of experiments, increasing and decreasing the hydration and the amount of flour. Sometimes I notice the dough becoming more lactic, other times more acetic, but the problem of poor growth remains the same. It's never happened to me before, and now it's really giving me a headache. Do you have any suggestions or ideas that might help? Thanks so much in advance!