Create a Sourdough Starter

🎤I'm a sourdough starter, twisted sourdough starter🎤

Let's not beat around the bush, a sourdough starter is just flour and water. What makes it work is the ratios of flour and water you add to your starter each time. 

I recommend using strong bread flour if possible (very strong bread flour is better still) to make your starter as this gives you a better result within a shorter time span. 

Jar watchpoint

DO NOT screw the lid onto the jar you use for your sourdough starter. Fermentation is the process that creates and maintains your starter. If your jar cannot release the gas created (known as burping) your jar may explode!

Create your starter

Day 1

• Weigh your empty jar and make a note of the jar weight; you will need this over the next few weeks. 

• Add 30g of strong bread flour and 30g of lukewarm water to your jar. Stir it until fully combined and leave at room temperature with a loose lid (allowing it to burp) for 24 hours.

• Use a rubber band on the jar to mark the level of your starter each day to see the "starting point" and how your starter grows.

  • Now set a daily alarm on your phone for the next two weeks at this time to remind yourself to feed your starter daily. 

Congratulations! You have now started your sourdough starter! I recommend giving it a name; it's a good superstition... mine is called "Denise". 

Day 2: The First Feed

• After the first 24 hours, remove all but 30g of the sourdough starter from your jar. (Use the weight of your empty jar to work this out)

• Add 30g of strong bread flour and 30g of lukewarm water to your remaining 30g of starter in the jar. 

• Stir well, loosely add the lid again, adjust your rubber band to the level of your starter and leave at room temperature for another 24 hours. 

Day 3 - 12: Growing Through Daily Feeding

• Repeat the process of removing all but 30g of starter from the jar, adding 30g of strong bread flour and 30g of lukewarm water to the jar. 

• Stir well each time, cover at room temperature with a loose lid, and adjust your rubber band to the level of your starter. 

• DON'T forget about your starter and be consistent. Fermentation is a patience game. 

• Around day 10, you should see your starter show significant bubbles and rise above the rubber band. You will be ready to use your starter when it rises to double its size; three times the size is ideal before you bake for the best results. If you are not at this stage continue repeating your daily feed

The day before you bake

I recommend, before using your starter for the best results, to make it stiff ;)

If you are planning to mix your dough first thing the next morning, feed your starter just before you go to bed. This will help ensure your starter is as active as possible for your bake. 

• Remove all but 35g of your starter this time and add 70g of strong bread flour and 65g of lukewarm water. 

• Stir well, cover at room temperature with a loose lid, and adjust your rubber band to the level of your starter. 

Removing some water makes your starter stiffer and personally I have found this creates a better bake in general for all my recipes. 

• In the morning, you will hopefully see a very bubbly, active starter at least double the size of where it started. If this is not the case, repeat the steps from days 2-10 again until you see better results. 

Your starter is your rising agent in sourdough, so if it is not ready, your bakes will not be at their best.