Ken Forkish Levain

Baking Techniques
1

Ken Forkish Levain

I have been trying to learn about artisan bread baking from just about every source imaginable (thank you Breadtopia for being such an amazing resource!).
I am finding that there are a lot of different techniques and ideas around bread baking in general and sourdough in specific. I have not tried posting a question in a baking forum before, but I am hoping that someone will be able to offer me some guidance.
I received Ken Forkish’s book Flour Water Salt Yeast for Christmas and I have been working though the recipes and learning so much. I am finally to his Levain Bread recipes and I am unsure how to proceed. I already have two well established starters, both are 100% hydration starters that receive two feedings a day. In his book he uses a lower hydration starter that is fed only once a day. I have tried working with stiff starters and pasta madres, but mine always seem quite acidic as our house is on the colder side, so I am reluctant to create another lower hydration starter. Is there a good way to utilize the starters that I already have with his recipes?

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He uses an 80% hydration starter.

Take a little of your starter and feed it to 80% hydration. E.g.

20g starter (10g water + 10g flour)
30g water
40g flour

Allow that to mature. And then follow his recipe.

Just a word of advice. He builds in excess and discards a lot. It’s ok to build exactly how much you need for a recipe. Just keep the same ratios.

3

Thank you very much! I will give that a try!