Sourdough Bread Starter
Making sourdough bread is a labor of love. With just two ingredients, a complex dance between chemistry and biology brings to life a delicious bread that your family and friends will crave. In fact, a solid sourdough starter is a gift that keeps on giving. While there’s a science to starter culture, it is still very much an art. If it dies out or doesn’t work, keep going, and soon, you’ll be baking bread your loved ones can’t get enough of!
Remember that we’re thinking about mass, not volume, in this recipe. I use grams to weigh my starter throughout the process, so keep your food scale handy.
Directions
In a glass jar, combine 100g of bottled water (never use tap or well water) and 100g of unbleached bread flour. You can also use rye flour to kick-start the process. Cover and leave in a warm, dark place.
Feed your starter twice daily (roughly 12 hours apart) with a 1:1 ratio of flour and water that weighs half your total sourdough mass. For example, if you have 300g of starter at feeding time, you’ll add 75g of water and 75g of flour (150g total). After five to seven days, when it's bubbly and active, cut feedings to once per day.
Your starter is ready when your mixture doubles in volume three to five hours after feeding. It can take up to two weeks to mature your starter, depending on the temperature in your home, humidity, and flour type.
I’m a wife, homeschooling mama to our 7-year-old and 2-year-old twins, and a full-time sourdough aficionado! I learned how to make traditional sourdough bread less than a year ago and enjoy sharing my passion for baking with our community. I'm on Instagram at @taylormadebtx.