Cholent -HELP | Imamother

amother

Fri, Mar 01 2024, 7:27 am

amother NeonBlue wrote:

Ok, so I'm really enjoying following your method.
Some questions:
1. do you let the starter grow in a bowl, as well as the dough? Would you let the dough rise in a 5 pound container, or prefer a bowl?

I use a bowl for both.
I’m sure anything works. But I do prefer a glass bowl.

2. What's the purpose of first shaping into a ball, to then just open it up and stretch it out? Why don't you first open it up and then form into a ball, wait 20 min and shape into a firmer ball?

The first ball is essentially just another stretch and fold. It’s another attempt at strengthening. It’s not meant to shape yet.
I’m sure you can do it the way you mentioned as well. For some reason I had better success by using my method.
Sourdough methods are endless and I believe everything works. As long as you figured it out and you’re happy with the results.

3. Is the timeline ok, if I first put my dough together Wed 6pm, and put into the fridge at 4 am (I know, crazy, but between work and kids, sourdough is not that much of a priority!) and then shape at about Thursday 4 pm and then bake Friday am?

I wouldn’t leave it outside for 10 hours. That’s when the dough loses its strength. Why don’t you put up the dough at 6. Leave it outside until say 11-12. Then put it in the fridge until the next day, whenever you’re ready to shape it (take it out 30-60 min before, or longer if it needs more time to rise) then shape and then fridge until Friday ready to bake.
Other than leaving it out until 4AM your time line can certainly work.

amother

Fri, Mar 01 2024, 7:29 am

amother NeonBlue wrote:

Ok, so I'm really enjoying following your method.
Some questions:
1. do you let the starter grow in a bowl, as well as the dough? Would you let the dough rise in a 5 pound container, or prefer a bowl?

2. What's the purpose of first shaping into a ball, to then just open it up and stretch it out? Why don't you first open it up and then form into a ball, wait 20 min and shape into a firmer ball?

3. Is the timeline ok, if I first put my dough together Wed 6pm, and put into the fridge at 4 am (I know, crazy, but between work and kids, sourdough is not that much of a priority!) and then shape at about Thursday 4 pm and then bake Friday am?

I hope I wasn’t too late in answering.
I usually get a message notification , however I found the message in my spam folder.

amother

NeonBlue

Mon, Mar 04 2024, 12:16 pm

Thank you for taking so much time to help me.
So the reason I left the dough out until 4 am is because I was calculating
6 pm put together dough
6:45 pm - 10:45 pm four hours of stretch and fold
10:45-3:45 am 5 hours of bulk rise
Is that not what you said you do? Did I misunderstand?

What happened was that in the fridge the dough grew a lot, but then I took it out about 6 pm the next day to shape and it therefore deflated and when I baked it, it rose but not tons, though it did taste delicious, but was a drop doughy.

What do you suggest I do different?

amother

Mon, Mar 04 2024, 5:51 pm

amother NeonBlue wrote:

No, it should be on the counter from the start of making the dough until putting it into the fridge a total of 6 hours.
So if you put up the dough at 6 pm by 12 u can put it in the fridge.

I’m confident you’ll get better results if you try it this way.

Please keep me posted.

amother

NeonBlue

Tue, Mar 05 2024, 11:05 am

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!
oh gosh!!! So I misunderstood you the first time around!!!!

Could you please give me a detailed timeline:

8 am feed starter
?? pm put together starter, water and flour
45-60 min later add water and salt
then what?

amother

Tue, Mar 05 2024, 1:16 pm

amother NeonBlue wrote:

8 am feed the starter.
I can’t tell you what time to put up the dough. Depending on how fast your starter grows.
Let’s just use the timeline that would work for me.
8 am feed the starter
2 pm put up the dough (shaggy)
Anywhere from 2:30-3:00 add water and salt
Form a nice dough, kneading for a few min
Then every 45-60 min stretch and fold.
By 8:00-9:00 pm put the bowl in the fridge.
If your kitchen is warm put it in the fridge sooner. Otherwise you can follow this timeline.

I hope this was clearer.

amother

NeonBlue

Tue, Mar 05 2024, 1:30 pm

Yes, very helpful, thank you!

Two questions:
1. do you stretch and fold until you put into the fridge, or do you leave it untouched for a few hours as well before putting into the fridge?
2. my dough this time, rose a lot in the fridge, but then I deflated it when shaping. Does the same thing happen to you?

amother

Tue, Mar 05 2024, 2:00 pm

amother NeonBlue wrote:

Yes, I wrote, stretch and fold every 45-60 until you put it in the fridge.
You’ll get approx 5-6 stretch and folds.

Your dough deflated because it was already overfermented by leaving it outside so long. (If I remember correctly , until 4AM)
When you’ll put it in the fridge after only leaving it out for 6 hours it will grow in the fridge and not deflate.

amother

Tue, Mar 05 2024, 10:53 pm

amother NeonBlue wrote:

It deflated when shaping
I'm looking forward to try it this way this week iyH.
Thank you again!

It will deflate when shaping sort of, but then it will rise again in the Benetton and it should have a beautiful oven spring when scored well and grow in the oven.
Keeping my hopes up for you this week.
Keep us posted please.

amother

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 12:22 am

amother Candycane wrote:

I think you should edit the title to cholent and sourdough help Very Happy

Haha- I totally should!

I didn’t think anyone else was still reading it.

I do believe that some Imas on here would actually appreciate the sourdough step by step, however the title makes them skip opening the thread.
We’re all”cholented out” by now
At least I stayed with delicious tasting cholents.

amother

NeonBlue

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 12:26 pm

amother OP wrote:

I think so too!
You can start a new thread and just copy and paste your instructions, just let me know that you started a new one, so I can follow it Smile

I overfed my starter by mistake today.
I fed it 50/50 last night
This morning I divided into two bowls and was going to feed each one 175/175 and by mistake I fed it 330/330 (fed it the full amount in one bowl, instead of splitting into both bowls)
So I hope I didn't kill my starter now!!!!

Which cholent are you sticking with?

amother

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 12:30 pm

amother NeonBlue wrote:

I think so too!
You can start a new thread and just copy and paste your instructions, just let me know that you started a new one, so I can follow it Smile

Funny enough, I’m really not active re starting threads.
I was so passionate about my cholent and kugel that I took the courage to start a thread.
I guess that’s why I’m shying away from actually starting another one.

I don’t think you killed your starter. Might take a tad longer to be fully active.

Last week I was still experimenting , and tomorrow I’ll do the top 3 preferred ones.
Ironically I prefer the oven method!!

amother

Tuberose

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 12:47 pm

My goodness… sourdough seems so overly sensitive 🤔
On that note, aside for health reasons- can someone please explain how to enjoy sourdough challah instead of fresh, sweet delicious challah?? I don’t understand how people enjoy it? I bake unbelievable, heavenly challah each week but I pay someone $10 to bake a sourdough challah for my husband since he can’t have any sugar. I force myself to eat a slice but how is this considered delicious? No offense to anyone… everyone likes different things but if it’s an acquired taste, please help me get it!
It would really help my weight!

amother

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 12:57 pm

amother Tuberose wrote:

I love this message.

Ok, so first of all, sourdough isn’t so sensitive. It’s being over complicated until you figure it out and then it’s a breeze.

2nd- challah isn’t sourdough. Therefor you can’t really compare it. If you like the sweet fluffy crispy delicious challah you’re not going to get that in sourdough.
Sourdough is of its own class. It’s delicious and crispy and fluffy but not sweet.
Also, some like it , some really don’t.
I think if you were to bake your own sourdough bread you’d probably come to love it too. It’s a labor of love. Its addictive. And it’s also healthier.

The kids all love sourdough. It’s what they’re being exposed to and what they’re eating and loving.
From my understanding, it’s becoming mandatory in camps and shabbatons with kids.

Can I try to get you to start?

Just a warning before you potentially start
You WILL get addicted to the baking process and most likely to eating it too.

amother

NeonBlue

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 1:15 pm

OP- you couldn't have said it better!

What is it about sourdough that I love making it.
Though I don't enjoy baking really, though I do like cooking. There's something about the process, though I don't know what, that is addictive.

Regarding taste, my family likes sourdough, fresh and hot on Friday night
but by Shabbos day they prefer regular challah.

How do you reheat the challah by day that it is as delicious?
And do you ever freeze and reheat sourdough, how do you reheat?

amother

Tuberose

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 1:24 pm

amother OP wrote:

Oh.. you’re so nice for trying to help me!
At the moment I have challah dough rising on the counter so maaaybe next week?
Do you also make those designs on top of your sourdough challah?

amother

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 1:26 pm

amother NeonBlue wrote:

Seeing fresh bubbly starter is like seeing drugs or wine or something addictive.

If the sourdough is really good and baked well, shabbos morning it should still be soft and delicious. I warm it up on top of the cholent or on top of something, as per Halacha.

I freeze bread all the time. I let it thaw, then rewarm in the oven and then keep it warm on my hot plate.

Sourdough shouldn’t be too hot, but warm.

amother

Wed, Mar 06 2024, 1:27 pm

amother Tuberose wrote:

Oh.. you’re so nice for trying to help me!
At the moment I have challah dough rising on the counter so maaaybe next week?
Do you also make those designs on top of your sourdough challah?

First get hold of starter. (If you’re in Bklyn I can give you some)
And let’s get this started !

Btw- I bake 18 lbs of challah weekly.
PLUS 10-12 loaves of sourdough bread.

You need both!! Trust me on that one please.