Join in with a new series: Basics of Bread Making. Lets start with a Sourdough Starter.

You may think a sourdough starter is a difficult one to start with but I assure you its easy if you follow a few simple steps.

And in the coming weeks I will use the starter to make some great breads.

SOURDOUGH STARTER – Introduction to Bread Making

How to make a Sourdough Starter
Feed Time: About every 12 Hours
Time: 7-10 Days

Ingredients

• 125g / 4.4oz /1 cup of Flour
• 125g /4.4oz / 1/2 a cup of Water
• Leave for 48 hours

Then to feed the dough

• 60g /2.1oz / 1/2 a cup of Flour
• 60g /2.1oz / 1/4 a cup of Water

Watch the full Video Tutorial

Instructions

1. Into a clean jar with a lid, place the flour and water. Mix throughly to form a smooth paste. Clean down the sides of the jar and I like to seal the jar for the first stage, so pop on the lid. Stand the jar in a warm area of the house and leave completely alone for 48 hours. You will slowly start to see some activity after 12 -24 hours.
2. After the first 48 hours have passed it is now time to start to feed the sourdough starter. Measure out the feed flour and water and pour into the jar, mix throughly and clean down the sides of the jar. This time do not seal the jar but cover the opening with a cloth or sieve. Place the jar on the side and leave for 12 hours.
   The sourdough starter will need to be fed with the same equal quantities of flour and water approximately every 12 hours (thats morning and night).
3. After the second feed you need to discard some of the starter before feeding. This will stop the starter growing too big for the jar and also remove some of the ‘hungry yeast’ leaving more food for the remaining yeast. To discard some of the starter remove about 1/2 a cup from the jar and this can be used to make sourdough pancakes, added to cakes, added to the compost or just thrown away. Then feed the starter as normal.
4. Continue feeding the sourdough starter regularly and discard every so often (this doesn’t need to be done every feed but often enough that the starter doesn’t grow too big). You need to get used to the smell and look of your starter. The smell will slowly change over time, it will smell sour, sweet, yeasty, fruity, hopsy and fresh. Any of these are good for a sourdough starter.
   The starter should slowly become more bubbly and airy and light.
5. After at least 5 days (sometimes depending on conditions it will take longer) your sourdough starter is ready to be used.

Join me in about a week when I will show you how to store your sourdough starter and there will be some great sourdough bread recipes coming soon to Steve’s Kitchen

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