Sourdough Craze
We all know during these unprecedented times we have had to find ways to keep ourselves busy. Working from home is no easy task. Things feel different for sure.
I think having a side project made the whole situation a little more comforting. I started my sourdough journey like anyone else: excited and nervous at the same time. Asking myself, will it work, will I be able to make this infamous sourdough bread... Is it good? I've never even had sourdough. It was indeed a journey and a lovely one at that.
I used a basic recipe and after a few tweaks, I was able to successfully cultivate wild yeast.
I will share with you my personal experience, as this journey is so versatile and subjective. Everyone's journey will differ. I am not an expert by no means, but I think I have had a very successful journey with my sourdough starter.
WHAT IS A SOURDOUGH STARTER?
A sourdough starter is essentially wild yeast (living bacteria) captured from the air which is then cultivated. We achieve this by providing an ideal place for the yeast to multiply.
So how does one capture wild yeast, by simply mixing equal parts flour and water. Yes, it is that simple.
However, not all things are created equal. If you want your sourdough journey to be successful, think organic and less processed. Things like unbleached flour, whole wheat flour and Rye work best. Purified water also is good to consider, depending on where you live.
So we start there. We mix our flour and water and we wait. Every day we feed the starter with equal parts flour, water and sourdough starter, essentially a 1:1:1 ratio. There are many other ways to go about it but this is what has worked for me.
I did a mixture 50/50 organic unbleached flour and organic whole wheat bread flour. I used spring water or tap water which I left on the counter overnight to get rid of any chlorine residue.
I made sure the overall temperature in the room was between 75-80 degrees F and kept my jar in a draft free place.
Once your yeast is active, your starter will begin to act rather predictably and rise after each feeding within the 4-6 hour mark.
So here was my schedule:
Day 1 mix in 120g flour (for the first day I used only whole wheat bread flour to really get it going, following days I did a 50/50 ratio) and 120g water - let sit for 24 hours on counter or kitchen cabinet. Temperature should be between 75-80 degrees F. Try to keep it in a draft free place. Keep in mind the colder, the longer the process will be. We were in May/June so weather was warm enough.
Day 2 after 24 hrs, it is time to feed. Keep 120g of your starter and discard the rest (I keep my discard in a separate jar in the fridge which I use. A little more on this later on). Now you will add 120g flour and 120g water mix and let sit for another 24 hours.
*You should notice some activity, maybe some bubbles have formed on the surface or even some evidence of expansion. Any activity is good, it means it is alive.
*After day 2 you will begin two feedings a day roughly 12 hours apart.
Day 3 repeat the same feeding as day 2 and add your second feed roughly 12 hours after. keep an eye for signs of expansion*.
* note: If your starter has risen and fallen, then it is a sign it is hungry. Feed it. If after 12 hours, not much has happened but the starter is very liquidy and has hooch on top. Feed it. Hooch is a brownish liquid that may form on the surface. It may have a slight alcohol smell, it is simply a sign your starter is hungry. Think fermentation. Your starter will evolve in its smell. Mine was fruity, almost beer like.
Day 4-5-6-7 repeat same schedule as Day 3
... Day .... it took me 10 days to finally see predictable behaviour with my starter.
At this point after you feed the starter, it should double in volume within 4-6 hours. If so it is ready to bake with (debatable, some suggest continuing the process to make the yeast a little stronger).
You can do a simple float test to be sure by dropping a teaspoon of your starter in a clear cup of water, it should float.
So the first two days my starter was bubbly and active and I was thrilled, but by day 4 everything came to screeching halt. I got nervous but trusted the process and kept at it. By day 10 Billie was rising beautifully and predictably. Oh yes! you can name your little guy. It helps and maybe keeps you more accountable.
Ok so you have your starter going, now what?
Well now you can make sourdough bread, and a lot of other things too (as I found out). Basically your starter is natural yeast and can really be used in any recipe instead of active dry yeast or commercial yeast.
Its al good and all natural baby.
However, if you are adapting it yourself you have to consider the water content... it gets more complicated but that is why ... the internet! Most bloggers have factored this in. Just look for sourdough discard recipes!
Also, if you do not bake everyday and God bless you if you do, but most of us have jobs and lives and just cant keep feeding our starter daily. Simply store the little guy in the fridge and feed weekly.
Same process as before, feed it and let it rise and put it back in the fridge or bake with it. Whatever floats your boat. If you plan to bake I suggest doing a couple feedings to really get the starter going, but this is really not necessary. You will get a beautiful rise either way.
So what do you do with your sourdough discard. Every time you feed your starter you will have to discard a portion. Sounds wasteful. I know, but it is necessary to keep the starter at a manageable size.
If you we were to add a 1:1:1 ratio and not discard, your starter would engulf mount Everest.
In comes all the wonderful uses for discard and you know what? Every recipe just taste that much better when you add sourdough discard. It is so much richer and there is so much more depth of flavour.
I baked all these goodies using discard. I'm drooling just thinking of them.
I think this sourdough journey has changed my life forever. I love it and I don't think I will ever go back to baking without it.
A magical experience indeed that I highly recommend if you enjoy baking.
I think having a side project made the whole situation a little more comforting. I started my sourdough journey like anyone else: excited and nervous at the same time. Asking myself, will it work, will I be able to make this infamous sourdough bread... Is it good? I've never even had sourdough. It was indeed a journey and a lovely one at that.
I used a basic recipe and after a few tweaks, I was able to successfully cultivate wild yeast.
I will share with you my personal experience, as this journey is so versatile and subjective. Everyone's journey will differ. I am not an expert by no means, but I think I have had a very successful journey with my sourdough starter.
WHAT IS A SOURDOUGH STARTER?
A sourdough starter is essentially wild yeast (living bacteria) captured from the air which is then cultivated. We achieve this by providing an ideal place for the yeast to multiply.
So how does one capture wild yeast, by simply mixing equal parts flour and water. Yes, it is that simple.
However, not all things are created equal. If you want your sourdough journey to be successful, think organic and less processed. Things like unbleached flour, whole wheat flour and Rye work best. Purified water also is good to consider, depending on where you live.
So we start there. We mix our flour and water and we wait. Every day we feed the starter with equal parts flour, water and sourdough starter, essentially a 1:1:1 ratio. There are many other ways to go about it but this is what has worked for me.
I did a mixture 50/50 organic unbleached flour and organic whole wheat bread flour. I used spring water or tap water which I left on the counter overnight to get rid of any chlorine residue.
I made sure the overall temperature in the room was between 75-80 degrees F and kept my jar in a draft free place.
Once your yeast is active, your starter will begin to act rather predictably and rise after each feeding within the 4-6 hour mark.
So here was my schedule:
Day 1 mix in 120g flour (for the first day I used only whole wheat bread flour to really get it going, following days I did a 50/50 ratio) and 120g water - let sit for 24 hours on counter or kitchen cabinet. Temperature should be between 75-80 degrees F. Try to keep it in a draft free place. Keep in mind the colder, the longer the process will be. We were in May/June so weather was warm enough.
Day 2 after 24 hrs, it is time to feed. Keep 120g of your starter and discard the rest (I keep my discard in a separate jar in the fridge which I use. A little more on this later on). Now you will add 120g flour and 120g water mix and let sit for another 24 hours.
*You should notice some activity, maybe some bubbles have formed on the surface or even some evidence of expansion. Any activity is good, it means it is alive.
*After day 2 you will begin two feedings a day roughly 12 hours apart.
Day 3 repeat the same feeding as day 2 and add your second feed roughly 12 hours after. keep an eye for signs of expansion*.
 |
| Sign of expansion. You can see the starter has risen and fallen back down. It is time to feed. |
Day 4-5-6-7 repeat same schedule as Day 3
... Day .... it took me 10 days to finally see predictable behaviour with my starter.
At this point after you feed the starter, it should double in volume within 4-6 hours. If so it is ready to bake with (debatable, some suggest continuing the process to make the yeast a little stronger).
You can do a simple float test to be sure by dropping a teaspoon of your starter in a clear cup of water, it should float.
So the first two days my starter was bubbly and active and I was thrilled, but by day 4 everything came to screeching halt. I got nervous but trusted the process and kept at it. By day 10 Billie was rising beautifully and predictably. Oh yes! you can name your little guy. It helps and maybe keeps you more accountable.
Ok so you have your starter going, now what?
Well now you can make sourdough bread, and a lot of other things too (as I found out). Basically your starter is natural yeast and can really be used in any recipe instead of active dry yeast or commercial yeast.
Its al good and all natural baby.
However, if you are adapting it yourself you have to consider the water content... it gets more complicated but that is why ... the internet! Most bloggers have factored this in. Just look for sourdough discard recipes!
Also, if you do not bake everyday and God bless you if you do, but most of us have jobs and lives and just cant keep feeding our starter daily. Simply store the little guy in the fridge and feed weekly.
Same process as before, feed it and let it rise and put it back in the fridge or bake with it. Whatever floats your boat. If you plan to bake I suggest doing a couple feedings to really get the starter going, but this is really not necessary. You will get a beautiful rise either way.
So what do you do with your sourdough discard. Every time you feed your starter you will have to discard a portion. Sounds wasteful. I know, but it is necessary to keep the starter at a manageable size.
If you we were to add a 1:1:1 ratio and not discard, your starter would engulf mount Everest.
In comes all the wonderful uses for discard and you know what? Every recipe just taste that much better when you add sourdough discard. It is so much richer and there is so much more depth of flavour.
I baked all these goodies using discard. I'm drooling just thinking of them.
 |
| chocolate chip scones |
 |
| Banana nut muffins |
 |
| overnight cinnamon rolls |
 |
| pizza with sourdough crust |
I think this sourdough journey has changed my life forever. I love it and I don't think I will ever go back to baking without it.
A magical experience indeed that I highly recommend if you enjoy baking.
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