Sourdough Starter
The ultimate way to make your baking come alive! My Sourdough Starter is easy to create, and it brings a unique depth of flavor to your bread. With just a few ingredients, you can cultivate your own bubbling starter and elevate your home baking. Embrace the joy of fermentation and make it tonight!
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup Warm water
- 1 cup Whole wheat flour
Instructions
- In a quart-sized jar, add 1 cup of whole wheat flour. This will be the base of your starter, providing the necessary nutrients for yeast growth.
- Add 1 cup of warm water to the flour in the jar. Make sure the water is warm but not hot, as too much heat can kill the yeast.
- Mix the flour and water together until you have a smooth paste. This should not be too thick or too runny; aim for a pancake batter consistency.
- Screw the lid tightly on the jar and set it aside on your kitchen counter for 24 to 48 hours. During this time, the mixture will begin to ferment and develop bubbles.
- After about 24 hours, check for bubbling activity. If you see small bubbles forming, that means your starter is on the right track! If it hasn’t bubbled yet, give it more time.
- Once bubbling is observed, it’s time to feed your starter. Discard all but half a cup of the starter mixture from the jar.
- Add in ½ cup of whole wheat flour and ½ cup of warm water to the remaining starter. Mix well until smooth.
- Screw the lid back on and set the jar aside again for another 24 hours. Repeat this feeding process once a day.
- If your starter is bubbling up more quickly, consider feeding it twice a day instead of once.
- Continue this process for six days. On the sixth day, when your starter is active and bubbly, you can use it in your sourdough bread. Instead of discarding half, simply remove half and set it aside for your baking.
Notes
- If you don’t have whole wheat flour: you can use all-purpose flour. It may not get as bubbly as it would with whole wheat flour, but it will work!
- If you’re using your starter less often: you can keep it in the fridge instead of on the countertop. Having it in the fridge will slow the fermentation process so you will only have to feed it once every week or so.
- If you forget about it: it can be reactivated even after a couple of months of neglect. The longer it sits in the fridge, the more dark liquid may form on top of it. This is called hooch and can be mixed back in or poured out before you feed it.
- Be sure to let the starter come to room temp: before feeding and then allow it to sit on the counter for 12 hours or so until you return it to the fridge.
- If you would like to increase the amount of starter you have: first make sure your jar is big enough to allow it to double in size and then mix equal parts starter, flour, and water.