Making sourdough bread is more than just a culinary endeavour—and Sourdough with Starter Recipe: A Complete Guide is your best resource to help. Sourdough bread has gained immense popularity not only because of its distinct tangy flavour but also for its health benefits, as it’s easier to digest and has a lower glycaemic index than bread made with commercial yeast.
In this detailed guide, I’ll walk you through the process of making sourdough bread with a tried-and-tested approach, focusing on the essential steps of feeding and maintaining your starter, when it’s ready to use, and answering common questions along the way.
So, What Is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough bread is a type of bread made by fermenting dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and wild yeast. Unlike bread made with commercial yeast, sourdough uses a sourdough starter, which is a fermented mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast from the environment. The starter becomes active, producing gases that cause the bread to rise and imparting that characteristic sour flavour.
Sourdough is often considered more digestible than other types of bread because the fermentation process breaks down gluten and other components that can be hard for some people to digest. It’s also rich in beneficial bacteria that support gut health.
How To Feed Your Sourdough Starter
Feeding your sourdough starter is essential for keeping it alive and active. A well-maintained starter will give you consistent results when baking.
Step-by-Step: Feeding Your Starter
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- Remove your starter from storage: If your starter has been in the fridge, bring it to room temperature.
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- Discard: Remove about half of the starter (this is known as the “discard”). You can save this discard for other recipes, like pancakes or crackers.
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- Add flour and water: For a standard feeding, add equal parts flour and water by weight to the remaining starter. For example, if you have 50g (1.75 oz) of starter, add 50g (1.75 oz) of flour and 50g (1.75 oz) of water.
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- Mix: Stir the mixture thoroughly until combined.
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- Let it rest: Cover the jar loosely and leave it at room temperature for 4–6 hours. You’ll know the starter is active when it has bubbled up and doubled in size.
When Is Sourdough Starter Ready To Use?
After feeding, your sourdough starter will go through a cycle of rising and falling as it ferments. The ideal time to use your starter is when it has reached its peak—this is when it has doubled in size and is filled with bubbles. The starter should have a mild, tangy aroma and a slightly spongy texture.
To test if your starter is ready, you can perform the “float test”:
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- Take a small spoonful of the starter and drop it into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s ready to use. If it sinks, it may need more time to rise.
Where To Obtain A Sourdough Starter
There are a few ways to get your hands on a sourdough starter:
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- Create your own starter: It’s surprisingly easy to create a sourdough starter at home with just flour and water. You’ll need about a week to develop a strong, active starter.
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- Get one from a friend or bakery: Many people are happy to share their established starter with others. If you know someone who bakes sourdough, ask if they can give you a portion.
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- Purchase a starter: You can also buy dried sourdough starters online or from speciality stores. These will need to be rehydrated and fed before use.
How To Use Sourdough Starter For Baking
Once your sourdough starter is active, you can use it to bake bread. Here’s a simplified version of the process for baking with sourdough starter:
Prepare the levain: The levain is a mixture of flour, water, and a portion of your starter. This will ferment overnight and act as the primary leavening agent for your bread.
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- Levain recipe: Combine 50g (1.75 oz) of active sourdough starter, 50g (1.75 oz) of flour, and 50g (1.75 oz) of water. Mix and cover loosely. Leave it at room temperature for 8–12 hours.
Mix the dough: Once your levain is ready, mix it into your dough. Typically, sourdough bread contains flour, water, salt, and the levain.
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- Dough recipe: Combine 500g (17.6 oz) of flour, 350g (12.35 oz) of water, 10g (0.35 oz) of salt, and the levain. Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.
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- Autolyse and stretch: Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. After that, stretch and fold the dough every 30 minutes for a few hours. This helps build gluten structure.
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- Bulk fermentation: Let the dough rise for 3–4 hours at room temperature or until it has increased in volume.
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- Shape and final proof: Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf. Let it rest for a final proof, either 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
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- Bake: Preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F) and bake the loaf in a Dutch oven or on a baking stone for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15–20 minutes until golden brown.
Storage Options
Proper storage is key to maintaining the health of your sourdough starter and keeping your bread fresh.
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- Starter storage: If you bake frequently, keep your starter at room temperature and feed it daily. If you only bake occasionally, store the starter in the fridge and feed it once a week.
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- Bread storage: Sourdough bread can be stored at room temperature in a paper bag or wrapped in a cloth for up to 3 days. For longer storage, slice the bread and freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Sourdough Bread Recipe with Starter
Ingredients:
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- 500g (17.6 oz) strong bread flour
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- 100g (3.5 oz) active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
Instructions:
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- Prepare the levain: Mix 50g (1.75 oz) of active starter, 50g (1.75 oz) of flour, and 50g (1.75 oz) of water. Leave it overnight to ferment (8–12 hours).
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- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine 500g (17.6 oz) of flour and 350g (12.35 oz) of water. Mix and let rest for 30 minutes.
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- Add salt and levain: Incorporate the 10g (0.35 oz) of salt and the levain into the dough.
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- Stretch and fold: Every 30 minutes for 3 hours, stretch and fold the dough to build gluten.
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- Bulk ferment: Let the dough rise for 3–4 hours.
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- Shape: Shape the dough into a loaf and let it proof for 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
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- Bake: Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Bake for 30 minutes with a lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 15–20 minutes.
With this tried-and-tested method, you’ll be on your way to creating delicious, crusty sourdough loaves. Sourdough baking requires patience and care, but the results are always worth the effort! Once you’ve baked your loaf, why not try some of our sandwich recipes?
