To make sourdough starter, combine 150 grams unbleached bread flour and 150 grams Hy-Vee whole wheat flour in a clean, large wide-mouth glass jar. Add 300 grams warm filtered water. Stir until flours are completely moistened. (The starter will be a thick, batterlike consistency.)
Recipe
Author
Hy-Vee Seasons
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Description
Flour, water and a little bit of patience is all you need to make a sourdough starter for naturally leavened breads. It takes about a week before your starter is ready to use.
Servings and Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | Add |
|---|---|---|
| Making Sourdough Starter | ||
| 2 to 3 lb. unbleached bread flour, divided (using 150 grams for each day) | ||
| 2 to 3 lb. Hy-Vee whole wheat flour, divided (using 150 grams for each day) | ||
| Warm filtered water (80 degrees to 85 degrees; using 300 grams for each day) | ||
| Maintaining Sourdough Starter | ||
| Warm filtered water (80 degrees to 85 degrees; using 150 grams for each feeding) | ||
| Unbleached bread flour (using 75 grams for each feeding) | ||
| Hy-Vee unbleached all-purpose flour (using 75 grams for each feeding) | ||
| Active sourdough starter (using 30 grams for each feeding) | ||
Things To Grab
- 2 clean, large wide-mouth glass jars
- Spoon
- Plastic wrap
- Rubber band
Directions
Cover jar loosely with plastic wrap. Place a rubber band around the jar and position it to mark the top level of the mixture in the jar. Let stand in a warm environment for 24 hours, stirring once a day. You may start to see bubbles develop. This is an initial sign of fermentation.
After 24 hours, weigh out 50 grams of the starter mixture; discard remaining starter mixture. Place 50 grams of starter mixture into a clean glass jar. Repeat steps 1 and 2. Continue to repeat this process every day for 5 to 7 days or until bubbles appear to be break on the surface, along with several bubbles throughout the mixture and there is a pleasant, slightly tangy or sour aroma.
Monitor your starter throughout the day and note when it has doubled in size. If it doubles within 4 to 6 hours, smells pleasantly tangy and has bubbles on the surface and throughout, it is ready to use in baking.
To maintain the starter for future use, you can store it at room temperature and repeat step 4 on a daily basis. Or store starter in the refrigerator and repeat step 4 once a week to keep the starter active. If there are signs of pink or orange mold or other discoloration, discard the sourdough starter and restart the process with step 1.
NOTE: If you would like to skip the process of making your own Sourdough Starter, you can order a starter online or find someone locally who will share a portion of an active starter.