Rise to the Challenge: Creating Your Own Sourdough Starter from Scratch
The journey of creating your sourdough starter from scratch can present its challenges, from ensuring the right balance of flour and water to patiently waiting for the natural fermentation process to take hold. However, amidst these challenges lies the surprising simplicity of the process. With just a few basic ingredients and a bit of time and patience, anyone can successfully cultivate their own sourdough starter. The magic of sourdough lies in its simplicity, as the natural yeasts and bacteria present in flour and the air work their transformative magic, creating a living culture that imparts flavor, texture, and character to your homemade bread. So, while the challenges may be present, the simplicity of creating your sourdough starter is ultimately what makes the process so rewarding and fulfilling.
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
1/2 cup lukewarm water filtered
Directions:
In a glass or plastic container, mix together the flour and water until well combined.
Cover the container loosely with a lid or a cloth (I use coffee filters and a rubber band)
Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, you should start to see some bubbles forming in the mixture. If not, continue to let it sit for another day or two.
Once bubbles appear, discard half of the mixture and feed it with another 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of lukewarm water that is filtered. Stir until well combined.
Repeat this process every 24 hours, discarding half of the mixture and feeding it with equal parts flour and water, until the starter is bubbly, active, and has a slightly sour smell. This typically takes about 5-7 days
Happy Baking!
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Active starter! My favorite flour to use is Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached Enriched Artisan Flour.
When starting out on my journey of sourdough making I bought this kit and it helped me regulate the temperature. I live in Arizona, and during the summer months I wanted to ensure it never went above/below 75 degrees. Also, the band that comes in this kit helps you know what day you are on, and time last you fed your starter.