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How to Start Your Homemade Sourdough Starter
A simple seven-day method for creating an active sourdough starter using only whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and water. The starter is refreshed daily until it rises consistently and can be used for breads, brioches, baguettes, and other doughs.
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Ingredients
- 50 g whole wheat flour (For day 1; use untreated flour if possible.)
- 50 g water (For day 1; lukewarm, like warm bath water. Chlorine-free water is preferred.)
- 25 g all-purpose flour (For daily refreshes; the source also says white or whole wheat flour may be used.)
- 25 g water (For each daily refresh; lukewarm.)
Steps
- 1
Use lukewarm water for the starter, approximately the warmth of a warm bath—not too hot and not too cold. Exact temperature measurement is not necessary.
- 2
On day 1, place the whole wheat flour and lukewarm water in a glass jar; the source uses a jar holding about 500 mL. Mix until no lumps of flour remain.
- 3
Place the lid on top of the jar without closing it, and leave the mixture at room temperature until the next day.
- 4
On the next day, remove about half of the starter, approximately 50 g, and set it aside as discard. Repeat this removal at each daily refresh.
- 5
Add 25 g of flour to the remaining starter. The flour may be white or whole wheat.
- 6
Add 25 g of lukewarm water to the starter, then mix thoroughly.
- 7
Replace the lid without closing it, and leave the starter at room temperature until the next day. Continue this refresh routine for the full seven days.
- 8
During the seven-day period, look for the starter to become stable. It may rise unpredictably at first; the goal is for it to rise consistently to about 2.5 to 3 times its original height each day.
- 9
Once stable, use the starter in breads, brioches, baguettes, and other doughs. Continue refreshing it daily, or store it in the refrigerator when it is not being used.
- 10
The removed discard can be used in cakes, muffins, pancakes, waffles, doughs, patties, and similar cooking without changing the recipe.
Notes
Choose untreated flour to encourage microorganism growth. Whole wheat flour is suitable, or you can use half white flour and half rye flour; avoid overly bleached or heavily treated flour on day 1. If your tap water is chlorinated, leave it in a pitcher on the counter for 24 hours so the chlorine can evaporate, or use bottled mineral water. Do not leave the starter in the refrigerator for more than a month without refreshing it.
Nutrition per serving
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