Sourdough Starter from Scratch
Did you ever wondered how a sourdough starter is made? Much easier that what you think!
Ingredients & Equipment
Flour (plain, strong, or wholemeal)
Water
A clean glass jar
Kitchen scales
Method
Day 1: In your jar, mix 100g of flour with 50g of water until smooth. Cover loosely (e.g., with a lid with a hole, or plastic wrap with a hole punched in it).
Days 2-3: Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 24-48 hours until it looks bubbly and active.
First Week Feeding: Once bubbly, begin daily feeds. Weigh out 100g of the starter (discarding the rest). Add 100g of fresh flour and 50g of water. Mix well. Repeat this every day for at least a week.
Ready to Use: After 7-14 days, your starter should be consistently bubbly, have a pleasant, yoghurty smell, and roughly double in size within 4-8 hours of feeding. It is now active.
Store in the Fridge: Once active, you can store it in the fridge. Feed it once a week using the same method: 100g starter, 100g flour, 50g water.
Tips
Discard: You only need to discard during the first week while establishing the starter. After that, use the "discard" to make bread, pancakes, crumpets, or crackers.
Patience is key: It can take up to two weeks. Look for bubbles and a mild, sour smell, not just a rise in volume.
Consistent feeding: Try to feed it at roughly the same time each day during the initial phase.
Water: Use filtered or bottled water if your tap water is heavily chlorinated.
Troubleshooting: If it develops a pink or orange hue or smells very unpleasant (like rotten eggs), it may be contaminated. It is often safest to start over.
