Create a flavorful, renewable source of natural yeast with just two ingredients! This printable recipe contains all the information you need to go from fresh starter to baking day and beyond.
Sourdough Bread Starter
Create a flavorful, renewable source of natural yeast with just two ingredients! This printable recipe contains all the information you need to go from fresh starter to baking day and beyond.
Ingredients
New Starter
Maintenance Feeding
Instructions
To make a new starter:
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Combine water and flour in a jar or crock, mixing well and scraping the sides. Be sure not to leave any dry flour anywhere in the container, and your starter should be free of lumps.
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Let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Bubbles should begin to form before the next feeding and it should have a sour but pleasant bready aroma.
Maintenance feeding:
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Refresh with 100g water and 100g flour. Mix well and replace the lid. Continue with the maintenance feeding every 12-24 hours depending on your indoor temperature until baking day. Your starter should be doubling in size during the fermenting period and will start to sag under its own weight when it needs to be fed.
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If you're taking your starter from the fridge it's best to perform a twice daily maintenance feeding for two to three days before baking day. Discard about half the starter.
Pre-bake feeding (levain):
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On baking day, take the discard (about half of your starter) and give it a maintenance feeding. In about 8 hours it will be ready to use in your desired recipe. Be sure to measure by weight and not volume, since mature starter can vary in size due to rising and falling.
Storage feeding:
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With the remaining half of your starter, perform a maintenance feeding and allow it to ferment for an hour or two before placing in the fridge. Your starter can remain in this refrigerated, unfed state for about 7 days and up to two weeks, although you may see a degradation in the quality of your starter the longer you leave it in hibernation.
