stiff starter
Lievito madre. 43% water to flour, so it's a dough, not a batter. The whole bakery ran on it for three years — milder, more predictable, and it forgives a late feeding.
43%hydration
1:‹x›:‹y›feeding ratio
26°max temp
one feedinggrams
what goes in
| ingredient | one feeding | bakers % |
|---|---|---|
| ripe starter | ‹50› g | ‹50›% |
| white bread flour | ‹100› g | 100% |
| water | ‹43› g | 43% |
Scale it on the calculator — it keeps the 43% for you.
‹12› hbetween feedings at ‹22›°
‹one thought about why stiff: acidity profile, yeast vs bacteria balance, how it behaves in the fridge›
01‹day 1 — build›
- a‹what to mix on day one›
- b‹where to keep it, what to expect›
- c‹the thing people get wrong here›
‹24› hfirst wait
‹reply line›
▶ step 1 / 4
02‹days 2–5 — feeding›
- a‹ratio and schedule›
- b‹how to knead a stiff starter — it's a dough›
- c‹signs it's alive: dome, smell, volume›
×2feedings a day
‹reply line›
▶ step 2 / 4
03‹is it ready?›
- a‹the test you use — time to double, float test or not›
- b‹what ripe looks and smells like›
- c‹what overripe looks like, and why it's not dead›
×2volume in ‹4› h
your starter isn't dead. it's hungry
▶ step 3 / 4
04‹keeping it›
- a‹fridge routine: how often, how much›
- b‹waking it up before a bake›
- c‹the bakery habit worth stealing›
‹7›days in the fridge
‹reply line›
▶ step 4 / 4