Description
A sourdough starter is a natural leavening agent made from flour and water. It’s filled with wild yeast and beneficial bacteria that ferment and help your bread rise, giving it that characteristic tangy flavor. This recipe walks you through the simple steps to create your own sourdough starter from scratch, perfect for making homemade sourdough bread and other baked goods.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (you can substitute with all-purpose flour after the first feeding)
- 1/2 cup water (filtered or non-chlorinated)
For feeding after the first day:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
Day 1:
- In a glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of water. Stir until well-mixed. The consistency should be like thick pancake batter.
- Cover loosely with a lid or a cloth, and let it sit at room temperature (ideally between 70°F and 75°F) for 24 hours.
Day 2-7:
- By Day 2, you might see small bubbles starting to form in the mixture, indicating fermentation is beginning. Stir the starter, then discard half of it (about 1/2 cup).
- Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup of water to the remaining mixture. Stir until smooth, cover loosely, and let sit at room temperature for another 24 hours.
- Repeat this process every day for 5-7 days. You should notice more bubbles and a tangy, slightly sour smell as the days go by. The starter will also increase in volume.
- By Day 5-7, the starter should be bubbly, have doubled in size, and have a pleasant sour aroma. This means it’s ready to use in sourdough bread recipes!
Maintaining the Starter:
- Once the starter is active, store it in the refrigerator and feed it weekly. To feed, discard half and add equal parts flour and water. Let it sit at room temperature for a few hours after feeding before placing it back in the fridge.
Notes
- If you prefer a milder flavor, you can feed the starter more often.
- If your kitchen is cooler, the fermentation process may take a bit longer, so be patient.