Gallery

Recipe Title

Sourdough Starter Recipe

Ingredients

• 100 grams (3.52 ounces) cup of whole wheat flour per day
• 100 grams (3.52 ounces) of filtered tap water or bottled water per day

Equipment

Non-reactive container (glass or plastic)
Measuring scale
Spoon or spatula

Introduction

The most essential part of making sourdough bread is having a healthy and active starter. To begin your sourdough bread baking journey, master the simple process of creating a starter or obtain a mother culture from a local sourdough bakery.

The latter option provides a robust and well-established sourdough culture, offering a solid foundation for newcomers. Many beginners stumble at this crucial initial stage and abandon their sourdough bread-making efforts. Regardless of the method chosen, it is vital to consistently feed and maintain your culture to ensure a healthy mother from which to bake.

Method

Sourdough Starter Recipe

Here's a recipe to start your sourdough culture starter mother (Ratio 1:1:1) except for day one (Ratio 1:1):

Day 1: In a non-reactive container, combine 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of whole wheat flour with 50 grams (240 ml) of cool water, stirring until well combined. Cover the container loosely and let it sit at a warm room temperature (about 70°F or 21°C) for 24 hours.

Day 2: Discard half of the starter 50 grams (1.76 ounces), approximately half the container. Add a scant 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of unbleached all-purpose flour and 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of cool or lukewarm water (depending on your room temperature) to the remaining starter. Mix well, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day 3-20: Feed your starter every 12 hours; repeat step #2: discard half of the starter and add fresh flour and water. By the end of day #4, the starter should show signs of activity and exhibit a slight aroma.

Day 5: Your starter is ready and doubles in size between feedings.

Happy sourdough baking.

theresa anderson
February 1, 2024 at 04:10

recipe for tangy sourdough need help

- Sourdough Community
  February 1, 2024 at 09:49
  
  Hi Theresa, to enhance the sourness of your sourdough bread, consider these strategies: use more whole grain flours, decrease the starter quantity, lengthen the fermentation time, introduce a bit of citric acid into your mix, or utilize the starter past its peak activity.
  
theresa anderson
February 1, 2024 at 04:11

recipe for tangy sourdough need help i need starter two tablespoon please

Dieter Liebrich
May 28, 2024 at 23:28

I have just recently started my starter.
I expected it to take two to three weeks before it rises substantially, however, after the second feed it more than doubled.
Does that mean it is ready to use for leaven or should I wait ?

- Sourdough Community
  August 6, 2025 at 14:10
  
  Hi Dieter, no, I would feed your starter for at least three more days. A good sourdough starter should smell tangy and slightly sour, reminiscent of vinegar, yoghurt, or buttermilk. This pleasant sour aroma indicates a healthy and active culture with a good balance of yeast and lactic acid bacteria, which is ideal for bread making.