The original title for this post ended with "It's Easier Than you Think!" This is true if you're not like me and are capable of following directions and advice from other blog posts. I made some mistakes causing me to start over after I found mold in my jar. I made some changes and my second attempt was a success. I have wanted to get into making sourdough bread for a few years now, but I was intimidated by the process to make the starter: weighing everything out, the feeding process, how to maintain it (so, basically everything!). I finally took the plunge and started looking at what other people have done. While it is strongly recommended by most to use a scale, I really didn't want another small appliance taking up space and I did fine without it.
I found my sourdough starter recipe from the blog The Clever Carrot (link: Beginner Sourdough Starter Recipe - The Clever Carrot). I found her post to be extremely helpful and I haven't had any issues (at least not on the second try!). I will write out what I did based on her recipe and how my starter looks from start to finish. In the end, I found the process to be very easy and I hope to make some bread soon! I hope this helps ease anyone's anxieties about sourdough and encourages you to try this as well.
As mentioned above, I didn't want to use weights to measure so I didn't include any in this post, but the article I cited above does if you want to be more precise. If you enjoy the chaos of no weights, keep reading.
Some (okay, many!) Tips:
*It normally takes 7 days under the right conditions to make your starter active, but it can take up to 2 weeks. It's winter here and my apartment is a bit cooler, be patient!
* If you're starting this in winter (starter needs to be kept warm when first making it at 74-80 F), I found it helpful to place my starter in a cold oven with the light on Day 1 for 1 hour. I would also warm the jar gently by placing it in a bowl with warm water (80-85 degrees F). I also would turn on my oven to the "warm" setting for 1 minute then place the starter inside.
*I decided to transfer my starter in a clean jar each time I fed it, since my first attempt got some mold and started to smell like alcohol (a sign your starter is dead). Might be a bit excessive but I was determined to get it right.
*To start the fermentation process you use whole wheat flour, then use unbleached all-purpose flour (or bread flour, or rye flour. The bleaching process kills the yeast in flour so it won't work as well). I accidentally used bleached flour, which some claim works, mine did not.
*I originally used unfiltered water, which I think contributed to my first attempt not working since any chlorine/chemicals can kill starter. I kept a closed jar of filtered water on the counter to use during feedings
*Your starter is ready under 2 conditions:
1) It no longer smells stinky like gym socks
2) To test it, feed your starter, allow it to double in size (12 hours), then place 1 tsp in warm water. If it floats, you're good to go!
Passed the float test, starter is activated and ready to use
*Whether you store it on the counter or in the fridge, don't seal the jar with a tight lid. The starter produces gas during fermentation and needs to breathe, otherwise gas will build up, glass will shatter, and you will be very sad.
Day 1:
1) Mix 1/2 cup whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup lukewarm filtered water until it forms a thick paste (similar to peanut butter). Place in a cold oven with the light on 1 hour then store in a warm place 24 hours
After mixing the flour + water
Day 2:
1) Check for bubbles in your starter, indicating you have fermentation. If not, that's okay. You may see a brown liquid that formed called "hooch", which is normal. Normally you would feed it if it was active, but today you leave it alone for another 24 hours. Mine didn't really develop hooch until Day 3, but I wasn't concerned.
Some small bubbles starting to form
Day 3:
1) This is when you want to start feeding your starter. Discard 1/2 of your starter (you should have 1/2 cup or 60g left). It should be thick and stretchy. Add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup warm water (about 80 degrees F) and stir with a fork until combined. Rest again 24 hours
Days 4-7:
1) Continue to discard 1/2 of your starter then adding 1/2 cup flour + 1/4 cup warm water and stir with a fork. Do this every 24 hours until active.
2) By day 7, your starter should be bubbly, 2x its size, and not stinky. If not, don't worry! Keep feeding until all conditions are met, then transfer to a clean jar and cover with a loose lid or plastic wrap.
My starter on Day 4: Lots of bubbles!
This process overall took 9 days (the second time!) because it's harder to keep everything warmer in the middle of winter. I noticed it wasn't bubbling as much on days 6-7, which is okay. Just make sure it's kept in a warm environment and your measurements are correct.
The finished product!
Storage and Use:
1) If you bake regularly, you can store it on the counter but will need to feed it every 1-2 days (discard 1/2 starter each time, then feed with 1/2 flour+ 1/4 cup warm water). Discards can be use in all kinds of recipes which I will explore at a later time. Stay tuned!
2) You can also store it in the fridge and feed every 1-2 weeks depending on how active your starter is. After feeding, leave it on the counter for 4-6 hours so it has time to develop before placing it back in the fridge
3) To use your starter for baking/any recipes: Feed it 12-24 hours beforehand and let it sit at room temperature so it's very active and you will have a successful bake.
Comentarios