Description
A homemade sourdough starter is the foundation to a good crusty loaf of sourdough bread, but it could also be used to make many other delicious baked goods. This easy step-by-step recipe will help you on your sourdough journey!
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 grams all-purpose flour
- 20 grams whole wheat flour
- 40 grams distilled or filtered water
Instructions
- Day 1 - Tare a kitchen scale to zero. In a clean mason jar or medium-sized bowl, measure out 20 grams of all-purpose flour, and 20 grams of whole wheat flour. Then add 40 grams of distilled water. Mix together with a plastic or wooden spoon. You should have a pretty thick paste. Cover the mason jar or bowl with plastic wrap or a lid. Allow your sourdough starter to sit in a warm environment for 24 hours.
- Day 2 - Today we are beginning twice-a-day feedings of the sourdough starter. To the existing starter, add 20 grams of all-purpose flour, 20 grams of whole wheat flour, and 40 grams of distilled water. At this point, your starter might smell like pie crust or pie dough. There should be a few small bubbles on the surface. Cover as before, and place it in a warm environment for 12 hours. Then discard half of the starter and feed as before. You could feed and discard the starter in the morning and at night.
- Day 3: The starter should have more bubbles on the surface than yesterday. It may have doubled in size. It should start to smell musky leaning towards a sour smell. This is all normal. Discard half of the starter and feed like before. Cover for another 12 hours, discard and feed.
- Day 4, 5, 6, 7: Discard and feed the starter like before, twice a day. Over the next few days, it should start looking fluffy, doubling in size a few hours after feedings, and smelling a little bit sourer.
- By day 6 or 7 your sourdough starter should be ready. It should double or triple in size a few hours after each feeding. It should smell musky and sour. And it should be very bubbly, light and airy. Use in your favorite sourdough recipe. Enjoy!
Notes
A sourdough starter can last as long as it is regularly fed - a few months to years.