Getting started with Sourdough.
Sourdough starter recipe.
Prep time - 10 mins a day over 7 days
Ingredients (total) -
175 g White Bread Flour (strong or extra strong is ok)
175 g Wholemeal Bread Flour
350 g room temp water
Equipment -
1x Jar/container with lid (preferably glass). Kilner jars are perfect.
Digital scales
Silicone Spatula
Tea towel / cheese cloth
Pro tips -
- Cleanliness is very important as we are essentially growing a colony of natural wild yeasts and good bacteria. Using dirty equipment can introduce bad bacteria and fungi, which will ruin all our hard work, so make sure that, during all stages, all of your equipment are washed, dried and ready to use.
- The world of fermentation can be a new, scary and smelly place, but do remember that not all smells are bad! Once your starter is alive and kicking you will notice a sour, funky, vinegary smell; this is perfectly normal and (actually) a good sign. If it does smell rotten though, this may be a sign that it has spoilt. Accompanying this, there will be visual signs that the culture is off, which is described in our next pro trip…
- MOULD is an issue with fatal consequences for our yeasty baby. If there are any signs of mould or any sort of discolouration (namely anything black, blue or red), this means a not so good bacteria or fungi has taken up residence in our starter. Unfortunately, the only solution is to discard everything and start again, ensuring your equipment is thoroughly cleaned and ready to go.
Method -
Day 1 - Mix
In a clean bowl, mix 25 g white bread flour, 25 g wholemeal bread flour and 50 g water, ensuring that it is thoroughly mixed with no dry spots (it should resemble a thick paste). Then, transfer this mix to your chosen container and place lid on top, although do not tighten the lid. This will allow air flow for your starter. Cover your jar with a clean cloth and place in a dark place away from draughts and drastic temperature changes - the back of a cupboard is perfect.
Day 2 - Feed
This is where we will start to feed our new yeasty baby. In a clean bowl, mix 25 g white bread flour, 25 g wholemeal bread flour and 50 g water, again ensuring that it is thoroughly mixed with no dry spots. Once mixed, add this mixture to the container containing the starter that we prepared yesterday. Cover and place this back in its dark cupboard.
Day 3 - Feed
Depending on a variety of factors, such as your climate, time of year and the flour itself, you may now start to see signs of yeast activity. You will start to smell a (pleasantly) sour and funky smell and may see bubbles. This is perfectly normal and is a good sign you are on the right track. Keep an eye out for mould or any changes in colour - it should be a greyish beige. If you see anything black or blue (or even red), this is a sign that the starter has spoiled and needs to be discarded. You will need to sterilise your equipment and start again from day one. Do not worry - you will get there!
If your starter looks healthy, you will need to feed it. For this, please follow the steps for Day 2.
Day 4 - Discard + Feed
Today is a bit different; however, this is the foundation of how you will maintain your new member of the family.
Prepare the feeding mix (see Day 2). After you have done that, take 2 tablespoons (approx. 50 g) of the starter that you have been cultivating and add it to your feeding mixture. You may discard the rest of the starter from your container; however, to avoid waste, this excess starter can be used for other recipes (coming soon). Once finished, return your new mix to the container and place it back into a dark cupboard. This part can get messy so a fresh clean sponge or cloth can help keep things tidy.
Day 5 - Feed
Feed your starter as described for Day 2.
Day 6 - Feed
Feed your starter as described for Day 2.
Day 7 -
You should now have a nice bubbly, lively starter. If all has gone to plan, it should be foamy, nice and funky smelling. If not, as long as it is not mouldy, it may be that it is a little cold and will take longer to get going. You can repeat what is described for Days 2 to 6 until your starter is nice and lively.
Congratulations, you are now ready to make bread and plenty of other yummy treats! See my sourdough bread recipe as well as other recipes you can use your new starter in.
After care -
As tasty and amazing as sourdough is, not everyone has the time or want to make it daily.
When you are not using it to bake, you can store your starter in the fridge, sealed, until you are ready to use it. If you are storing your starter in the fridge, you will need to discard and feed once a week (see Day 4). It will be happy almost indefinitely stored like this, but do keep an eye out for mould. If this does happen, fret not, you are now a pro at making sourdough starters and can always start again.
You can even start experimenting with different flour types to make your starter such as Rye, which will lend different flavours to your bread.
