369904 Sat Feb 10 22:02:39 -0800 2007 2 31 Home Cooking 0 2280813 I've read that you can boost the sour flavor of homemade sourdough by adding citric acid to the dough. Has anyone tried this? Sat Feb 10 22:02:39 -0800 2007 68840 jono37 1 2281879 I've never tried it, but I've heard that some commercial bakers use citric or acetic acid (vinegar) in their bread, which supposedly makes an inferior product. I think real sourdough is made sour by lactic acid produced by bacteria in the starter culture, so I don't know if citric acid has the same taste as lactic acid. I suppose you can try it and see if you like it; bread is cheap to make. I make sourdough that is plenty sour with nothing but starter, flour, water, and salt. Sun Feb 11 11:14:08 -0800 2007 2280813 73485 papi 1 2283375 Citric acid will add extra pucker to your sourdough bread, but the flavor is less complex that what you will get with a sour starter. Also, citric acid is frequently used as a dough conditioner in commercial bread making--giving the dough more elasticity and a longer shelf life. For home use, keep in mind that citric acid is VERY powderful stuff. Sift it into your dry ingredients, and use only very little--like 1/8 tsp per 4 c flour/starter--for your first try. Sun Feb 11 21:17:00 -0800 2007 2280813 16301 Non Cognomina