A stiff sourdough starter is typically maintained at 45 - 50% hydration. It offers several advantages over the liquid (100% hydration) starter. Key Benefits: Longer Peak Window: Stiff starters are not as time sensitive as a liquid starter. Why? Because they are denser, they ferment more slowly and stay at peak much longer than liquid starters. In most cases, several hours longer than liquid starters. Liquid starters which might collapse within an hour of peaking Enhanced Yeast Activity: The lower water content boosts yeast growth over lactic acid bacteria (LAB), leading to a milder flavor profile that is less sour and more yeast forward, making it ideal for enriched doughs like brioche, panettone, or cinnamon rolls. Honestly I use my stiff starter for any recipe without issue. Improved Dough Structure: Using a stiff starter helps preserve gluten strength because it reduces enzymatic activity that otherwise breaks down gluten proteins. That gives you.... Better oven spring (taller loaves). Easier handling and shaping, as the dough is less likely to become "slack" or sticky. Resilience in Heat because stiff starters are more stable in hot climates (80°F+). A liquid starter can quickly over-ferment and turn soupy & gloopy in the heat. But a stiff starter holds its structure and ferments at a more predictable pace. Easier Maintenance: Fridge Longevity: Stiff starters can survive longer in the refrigerator between feedings. Sometimes several weeks without developing the strong vinegar smells or acidic breakdown common in liquid starters. Less Mess: Stiff starters are dough-like and do not leave behind the sticky, liquid residue typical of a milkshake or pancake consistency starter. If you'd like to begin your journey with a Stiff Starter say "Squad Me" in the comments!! Here's how to start your Stiff Starter: 3g Active Bubbly Starter 15g Water 30g Flour Mix starter and water together until the water looks milky and the starter is dissolved. Then mix in flour, stirring untill it's too stiff to stir. Pour it out onto a clean counter top, every crumb, and knead the ingredients together until you have a cohesive dough like substance. Lastly roll into a ball or roll out into a strip and roll up like a cinnamon roll and place into your jar. This feed ratio is a 1:5:10 giving you a 50% hydration stiff starter. This will take about 10-14 hours to peak at 73*F. You only need to feed once every 24 hours. I feed at 6pm the next morning when it has peaked I place it in the fridge until time to feed again at 6pm. I don't keep my starter in the fridge for days or weeks... That's my personal preference.

Good evening, I have a pre shaping question. What do you do when the skin of the dough tears during pre shape? I think I got carried away and did a little too much. I did let it rest for 20 mins, however, when I flipped it for shaping it was a bit sticky. I shaped it anyways, which was a bit challenging. What suggestions do you have in case it happens again?😏 Thanks

A friend of mine from another Skool community over in England, @Des Dreckett, asked me to come on his podcast. I agreed, and then of course life happened and I got busy and forgot all about it. The day of the interview I'd just gotten back from a dental appointment. Hadn't shaved. Wasn't exactly camera-ready. Then a notification pops up on my phone telling me the call I thought was just two guys talking was in 15 minutes. I turn on my camera and realize pretty quick this isn't a casual chat. This is being recorded and going out to the world. I could have rescheduled. Probably should have. But that line I keep saying around here came into my head. Perfection is not required. It wasn't about trying to look perfect. It was about whether I had something worth saying. And I did. So I went and said it. Here's the interview that came out of it. https://youtu.be/tIp_NgZ93Hs?si=lkTPCNuu0uXK1BYG Des and I talked about how this community got built, how social media drives growth, and the thinking behind a lot of what we do here in the Academy. If you're curious about what's underneath the hood, this is a good window into it. And next time you're hesitating because the conditions aren't perfect... remember. Perfection is not required. Progress is. Henry ⭐🔥

If you’ve taken the leap to create your very own Levito Madre you’ve also realized that you need a tall wide mouth container. Here’s a very inexpensive one I found at Dollar General. It’s food safe and BPA Free. The top locks airtight for the times that your LM is in the fridge so that no air will get to it and dry it out. The mouth is big & wide enough to get that ball of starter dough neatly inside without warping , smooshing or disfiguring that big beautiful X that you just cut into it so that it will receive air equally throughout and ferment evenly. The cost is $6 plus sales tax. I bought two so I’ll have one to use while the other one is getting cleaned and air dried. I named my LM, The Avenger! Why that name? Because I name all my starters after a person, place or thing in scripture and just as God avenges us my LM will and can avenge me of any flat, gummy and dense loaf! 🤣🤣🤣 Comment your LM name below and why you chose that name. Let’s see how creative we are

Lievito Madre is a stiff Italian sourdough starter (~45-50% hydration) that provides a milder, sweeter flavor profile, improved digestibility, and superior, fluffier texture in baked goods compared to liquid starters. Due to its low-acid, yeast-heavy fermentation, it is ideal for any dough but especially for rich, high-fat, and sweet doughs like panettone, brioche, and premium pizza. Levito Madre can be used in it’s stiff state or you can make a levain from it. Key Benefits of Lievito Madre - Superior Texture & Volume: Produces incredibly light, fluffy, and soft dough structures, making it perfect for enriched breads. Also works wonderfully in lean doughs - Mild Flavor Profile: Unlike tangy, acidic liquid starters, Lievito Madre creates a delicate, mild, and often sweet aroma due to high lactic acid production. - Enhanced Digestibility: Long fermentation breaks down gluten and antinutrients, making the final bread easier to digest. - Its stiff, strong structure helps doughs rise in recipes with high fat and sugar, such as panettone or pizza, without losing, strength. - Longer Shelf Life: Natural acids from the slow fermentation act as a preservative, keeping baked goods fresh for longer without mold. - Nutritional Benefits: Increases the availability of vitamins and minerals like magnesium and iron. - Ideal for Pizza: Produces a very airy, crunchy crust with high digestibility. Lievito Madre vs. Liquid Sourdough - Hydration: Stiff/Firm (45–50% water) vs. Liquid (usually 100% water). - Flavor: Mild and sweet vs. Often sour/acidic. - Bacteria/Yeast: Promotes more lactic acid bacteria and yeast growth, less acetic acid. Usage Tips - Because it is firm, it is sometimes "bathed" (soaked in water) to reduce acidity before refreshing. - It is often used in recipes requiring long, natural rising. Pictured below are the stages of fermentation, from just mixed to peak Happy Baking!! @Tracy Havlik @Donna Angelo @Sandy Chong @Ann Snow @Patt Stanaway @Deborah Karaban @Judy Lyle @Mauvette Bailey @JoAnn Amato @Colleen Vergara