METHOD
1. In a clean & sterilised jar, stir together 60g of lukewarm water (drinkable tap water is fine) & all of the Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter Flakes. Let this soak for 1 minute to help the flakes soften before adding flour.
2. Add 50g of White Gluten-Free Bread Flour (Wild Sourdough White Bread & Pizza AP Gluten-Free Flour). Using a spoon or jar spatula, mix well until there are no more dry lumps. Take note of the consistency in the video above. You may like to add a few extra grams of water if your starter is a little on the dry side, there should be no dry patches & the dough should be well incorporated. It should not be runny but a soft & moist dough consistency (see video). If it is too runny, you will not see bubbles form when the starter activates. If too dry it can slow down activation considerably so it’s important to get this right!
3. Let the jar sit in a warm room, (consistently 24 degrees Celsius) covered with a lid lightly screwed on. The good yeasts will start to wake up after about 24 hours you should start to see small air bubbles on the side/bottom of your jar (see image below).
Note: The temperature will dictate how fast this activates: warmer means it will be faster & cold temperatures under 21 degrees will slow it significantly & may take 3-4 days to to show any activity. So if you are doing this overnight, the temperature can drop dramatically and so will slow things down considerably. Please be patient.
What to do if it has been 3-4 days & there is no signs of activity:
Feed your starter again with 40g of flour & 40g water. Mix well and let it rest. Monitor this for the next 4-6 hours & ensure the temperature is around 24 degrees (rest longer if it is colder). If after 12 hours & there is no activity, please send a message to our website chat (bottom right corner) with photos of your starter & the last time the starter was fed & one of our support crew will do their best to assist. You can also post your questions & photos on our support group here GLUTEN-FREE SUPPORT GROUP where others bakers experiencing similar problems can share their solutions.
How do I know my start is ready?
Watch this short video to learn what to expect during the initial activation process. With more time, your starter will grow stronger. It will also grow more predictably & smell mildly sweet/sour but never acidic.
4. Once your starter is showing lots of little bubbles, it is now active & ready to use. Proceed to Part 2 (Start Making GF Sourdough - Recipe) of the Gluten-Free Bread Kit Guide.
Not ready to bake yet?
If your starter is now bubbly & active but you're unable to start baking at this point, you can pop the starter in the fridge in an air tight jar. It can be stored for up to 1-2 weeks before needing another feed or used to make bread. In our experience, if you are using/feeding your starter once a week it will be fine to use straight out of the fridge provided it does not smell acidic & you will need to account for extra time for the starter to come to room temperature.
If your starter is smelling acidic or like nail polish, your starter is hungry & needs a feed! You will need to discard all but 1 tablespoon & do a starter build as per the bread recipe to refresh your starter before using. You may like to do this a few times to refresh your starter.
If there is discolouring/mould or your starter is smelling off due to neglect (not feeding regularly), the starter will need to be thrown out & a new starter should be activated. To purchase another starter please head to our store.
IMPORTANT NOTES
FLOUR
For best results we recommend feeding your starter with our White Gluten-Free Bread Flour. Unlike feeding your starter with brown rice, our white GF bread will double in size when active & won't go sour quickly compared to using brown rice etc.
Keeping your starter at the optimal temperature of 24 degrees Celsius will help it grow according to our instructions above. If your room temperature is below 20 degrees, this can significantly slow down activity, in which case it can take up to 48 hours before it will show any activity, so be patient. We understand sometimes it is difficult to maintain these temperatures in your own kitchens during winter/overnight, so we recommend resting your starters in the oven with just the light on or with a bowl of hot water.
CONTINUOUS FERMENTATION
When using your active starter for baking, always leave some behind (a tablespoon is sufficient) to feed & maintain a continuous fermentation cycle. Replace what you’ve used by feeding what’s left with equal parts flour & water.
GLUTEN-FREE STARTER MAINTENANCE
Once you have used your starter to bake bread, always leave behind a tablespoon to keep stored in the fridge. It can be kept in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 1-2 weeks before needing another feed of equal parts starter, flour & water (1:1:1 ratio). When you’re ready to use it, just take it out of the fridge & complete a starter build as per the instructions on our recipe to make bread.
For tips on how to maintain your starter when you’re not baking, please head to our GF Starter Maintenance page.
FAQ’s & Troubleshooting
What type of water should I use to make sourdough?
Drinkable tap water as fine as long as it does not contain high levels of chlorine. If you suspect that your tap water is high in chlorine, fill a jug with tap water and leave on the counter overnight. This will help reduce the chlorine levels and will be fine to use to feed your starter. Otherwise use filtered water.
What if my room temperature is cold?
Often the temperature in the room in which our starter lives can fluctuate, especially at night & in winter, this can slow activity dramatically. One way to prevent slow growth in your starter is to leave it in the oven with only the light on & a bowl of hot water can help too. Or you could purchase a small heat mat similar to a seedling mat should also help. Make sure you do not exceed 28 degrees Celsius as it can kill your starter.
My starter has mould & smells off, can I save it?
If your gluten-free starter has been neglected, there's a high chance that mould will develop and the starter will begin to smell off. Unfortunately, in such cases, it’s best to discard the starter for safety reasons. To purchase another starter please head to our store.
Proper maintenance is essential to keeping your starter healthy and strong, which is key to successful bread leavening. If you're not baking regularly, store your starter in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. Ideally, feed and use it at least once a week to maintain its vitality.
Still need help with your starter? Click here to join our new Facebook Support Group. Or you can message here on our website chat (bottom right) and one of our support team members will assist you. Happy baking!