There are plenty of recipes out there that turn sourdough into a semi-religious science. It is not. It is biology. If you want a starter that can lift a heavy rye loaf or give big holes in your wheat bread, follow one rule: weigh everything.
In short
- You needFlour, water and a clean jar
- Time5-7 days
- FeedingEqual parts flour and water
- Ready whenIt doubles in 6-8 hours
Three things you must never do
- Never use cold water. It is like giving the yeast a sleeping pill. Use water at room temperature or slightly warmer.
- Never skip the scale. A starter that is too thin cannot hold the bubbles it makes. You think it is dead, but it is just too wet.
- Never use dirty tools. A starter is a culture of good bacteria. A dirty spoon invites the bad ones in.
How to tell it is ready
After 5-7 days the starter should double in 6-8 hours after a feeding. It should have bubbles on the surface and along the sides of the jar and smell fresh and sour, a bit like yoghurt. Put a rubber band around the jar when you feed it, so you can easily see how much it rises.
The float test. Drop a small spoonful of starter into a glass of water. If it floats, it is active and ready to bake with. If it sinks, give it another day.
How to look after your starter
If you bake every day or every other day, it can stay on the counter. Feed it every 24 hours: keep 50-60 g and add 50 g flour and 50 g water. If your kitchen is above 24°C, feed it twice a day.
If you bake a couple of times a week, keep it in the fridge. Feed it, leave it out for 2-4 hours until it bubbles, and put it in the fridge. Feed it once a week. The day before you bake, take it out, feed it and wait until it has doubled.
If something goes wrong
- There is liquid on top: It is hungry. Pour off the liquid and feed as normal.
- It smells sharply of vinegar or nail polish: Also hunger. Feed it a few times at room temperature.
- It does not rise: It is probably too cold or too wet. Find a warmer spot and weigh flour and water precisely.
- Only start over if you see mould, a pink or orange colour, or it smells rotten.
For more problems, see our big troubleshooting guide.
The shortcut
If you do not have a week to wait, we have done the work for you. Our own live sourdough starter is ready to bake with after one feeding. And remember that the flour makes a big difference. Quartz Mølle Mariagertoba has a high protein content that gives your starter something to work with.
Read on
- Sourdough starter feeding schedule
- What happens in a sourdough starter?
- Sourdough crispbread: the best thing to do with discard
Peter, Simpel Surdej
Del på sociale medier:
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2 comments
Hvorfor bliver al tekst ikke oversat? Det ville gøre det nemmere at vælge jer frem for andre danske forhandlere.😏
Спасибо за информацию.