> I have been trying to
> make a "pain au levain" using a recipe from a frech
> edition of Linda Collister's "The Bread Book". I stop
> always at the first step:
>
> I mix 230g of flour with 250 ml of warm water, cover the bowl
> with a wet cloth and let it stand by for 3 days, wetting the
> cloth again every day.
>
> - the dough sours all right;
> - but in the second day I notice always
> white spots of fungi growing on it.
>
> Could someone tell me what is wrong or give me a tip?
>
> Thank you very much
>
> Paco Echalar
> echalar@uninet.com.br
Pain au levain is usually made with a stiff starter (levain), not
really something that can be stirred. Try not wetting the cloth;
the outside of the ball will dry out - just remove the crust as
you build it up.
Joe Ortiz had a *very* detailed levain procedure in hi "The Village
Baker", a great book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0898159164/1936-3837154-131835
- dc