7 Easy Steps to Making A Sourdough Starter

There’s no better way to get your stomach rumbling than the smell of fresh bread baking in your kitchen. Lately, sourdough has become the delicious bread loaf that everyone wants to try. Following these seven easy steps to making a sourdough starter requires effort and time commitment. But you’ll be rewarded with lovely aromas a thick, chewy crust and a delectable loaf.

Make your own crunchy, tender and healthy bread at home with only a few essential ingredients. Check out our step-by-step guide to making a sourdough starter and prepare to make your loaf!

What is a Sourdough Starter?

Sourdough is a bread made using a culture of yeasts and beneficial bacteria that naturally occur and are left to ferment and rise. Bakers used sourdough for baking before commercial yeasts were available. The bacteria in the sourdough starter consume the flour’s sugars, which releases acids that give the sourdough a sour, vinegar-like taste.

A good sourdough starter makes good bread and is the heart and soul of sourdough baking. You can create your sourdough starter from scratch with just flour, water and a little bit of babysitting. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make a sourdough starter:

• Large Jar
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Visit https://www.youkneadsourdough.com.au/, they offer a starter kit to help you bake your delicious sourdough at home! The kit contains all the tools and ingredients you need to make bread that looks and tastes great.

Sourdough Starter Recipe

Creating a sourdough starter from scratch should take about seven days. The process involves two main steps: creating the starter to jumpstart fermentation and feeding it to cultivate the wild yeast and bacteria. Your starter will be ready to use when it has doubled its size and has plenty of bubbles on the surface. Here are the easy steps to follow:

1. Make The Starter (Day 1)

Combine ½ cup of wheat flour and ¼ warm water in the jar. Use a fork to blend until smooth and pasty. You can add more water to thin out the mixture if needed. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest at 75-80 F for about 24 hours.

2. Check for Bubbles (Day 2)

On Day 2, you’re going to check if tiny bubbles have appeared on the surface. Bubbles indicate fermentation, which we need for the sourdough to grow. It’s okay if you don’t see any bubbles immediately, as it can sometimes take a bit longer.

You don’t have to do anything else right now. Let the starter rest in the same warm spot for another 24 hours.

3. Feed Your Starter (Day 3)

Whether or not bubbles are visible, it’s time to start feeding your starter. Remove half of your starter from the jar, and add ½ cup of all-purpose flour and ¼ cup of warm water. Mix with a fork until smooth; then cover and let rest for another 24 hours.

4. Keep On Feeding (Days 4-6)

For these three days, repeat the same feeding process you performed on day 3. As the yeast develops, your starter will rise, and bubbles will start forming on the surface. When the dough falls in the jar, it’s time to feed it again.

5. Transfer Your Starter Dough  (Day 7)

By now, your sourdough starter is ready. You should see small and large bubbles and a fluffy texture. The last step is to transfer your sourdough starter to a nice, clean jar.

Get Your Sourdough Starter Kit Today!

Traditional sourdough bread has become more accessible with a sourdough bread kit! Follow the instructions above to make sure you’re on the right path. Get your starter kit today to start making mouth-watering sourdough bread.