Sourdough Starter 18th Sep 2023

Ingredients for 2 serves in 120 minutes

Here's a basic sourdough starter recipe that you can use to make delicious sourdough bread. Making a sourdough starter requires some patience, as it takes several days to develop the natural yeast and lactic acid bacteria needed for fermentation. Once you have an active starter, you can keep it alive and use it for baking indefinitely.

Instructions how to prepare

1. Day 1: Initial Mixing - In a glass or plastic container, combine 1/2 cup of flour with 1/2 cup of water. Mix until you have a thick, pancake-like batter. Cover the container loosely with a clean cloth. Leave it at room temperature (21C/70F).
2. Day 2: First Feeding - Check your starter. You may or may not see small bubbles or signs of fermentation. Don't worry if it looks unchanged; Discard half of the starter. Add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water. Mix until smooth. Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature.
3. Day 3-7: Daily Feedings - Continue to discard half of the starter and then add equal parts flour and water daily. You should start to see more bubbles and a sour smell developing. The starter will become more active over time.
4. Day 7 (or when your starter is active) - It is ready for baking! Your starter should be bubbly, have a pleasant sour smell, and double in size within a few hours of feeding. If it's not there yet, continue daily feedings until it reaches this stage.
5. Maintenance: To keep your starter alive, store it in the fridge and feed it once a week. You can also leave it at room temperature if you bake frequently. When baking, remember to reserve a portion of the starter to continue feeding for future use.