What is sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter is a living culture made from flour and water.
The natural fermentation process grows wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, which give sourdough bread its distinctive flavor, texture, and leavening properties.
Your starter will adapt to your local environment, resulting in a unique culture that thrives in your specific conditions.
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour
All-purpose or Bread flour
Filtered water
Day 1
- In the jar, combine 1/2 cup (4oz / 113g) of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of filtered water. Stir with wooden spatula until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
- Place a cloth cover over the top of the jar to allow air circulation while keeping out dust.
- Place the thermometer sticker & feeding tracker band around the jar to mark the day and time.
- Let the mixture rest at room temperature (70-75°F) for 24 hours.
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Day 2
- Look for bubbles on the surface, indicating the start of fermentation.
- Around the same time next day, use the wooden spoon to remove and discard half of the starter (approx 1/2 cup). Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of filtered water. Mix thoroughly with the spatula.
- Cover with the cloth cover and adjust the feeding tracker band. Let it sit at room temperature for another 24 hours.
Day 3 to Day 7
- Repeat, discard and keep on feeding! You should see more bubbles and some rise starting day 3.
- Discard half of the starter (approx 1/2 cup). Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of filtered water. Stir with the spoon and clean the sides of the jar if needed.
- Update the feeding tracker band daily to monitor the starter’s growth as it rises. Let it rest for 24 hours.
- By day 7, the starter should become more active. Once the starter is consistently bubbly and doubles in size within 3-5 hours, it's ready for baking. Transfer to 2nd clean jar if desired.
An active starter will produce plenty of visible bubbles. The texture will now be spongy and fluffy, producing pleasant fermented aroma.
Maintenance
In keeping with tradition, please name your starter! 😊
- Store the starter in the refrigerator and cover with wooden lid. Feed it once a week by discarding half (approx 1/2 cup); and adding 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of filtered water.
- To reactivate the starter for baking, bring it to room temperature and feed it 2-3 times over 24-48 hours before using.
Tips
You can easily increase or decrease the feeding amount for larger or smaller recipes, as long as you maintain 100% hydration, i.e equal volume of flour and water.
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