Purchase our Sourdough Starter Flakes & have an active starter within 24 hours.
Note: Allow for 24 hours before an active starter is achieved.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Flour
Our Complete Starter Bread Kits come included with 2 bags of organic flour: white & whole-wheat, which we recommend making a mix 50/50 blend of white & whole-wheat flour to feed your starter. The wholegrain flour gives your starter an extra boost & is beneficial for the growth of healthy wild yeast & lactic acid bacterias found in healthy starters.
Room Temperature
Keeping your starter at the optimal temperature of 24 degrees Celsius will help it grow according to our instructions below. If your room temperature is below 21 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.
Tip for cold kitchens during winter/overnight is to rest your starter in the oven with just the light on & a bowl of hot water.
Continuous Fermentation
When using your active starter for baking, always leave some behind (a tablespoon is sufficient) to maintain a continuous fermentation cycle. Replace what you’ve used by feeding what’s left with equal parts flour & water. For information on maintaining a healthy starter, please visit the Starter Maintenance here.
METHOD
1. In a jar, stir together 50ml of lukewarm water & all of the starter flakes. Let this soak for 10 minutes to help the flakes soften before adding flour.
2. (First feed) Add 40g of white baker’s bread flour (we recommend a 50/50 mix of white & wholegrain flours). Using a spoon or jar spatula, mix well until there are no more dry lumps.
3. Let the jar sit in a warm room at 24 degrees Celsius for 12 hours. You should start to see some bubbles after this time.
4. (Second feed) Feed the starter again with equal parts water & flour (40g flour & 40g). Stir well & let it sit in a warm room at 24 degrees Celsius for another 12 hours or once bubbles start forming inside your starter jar (refer to video to compare), you now have an active starter.
Note: If you’re unable to start baking right away than please read our Starter Maintenance information to ensure your starter stays healthy & strong until your next bake.
5. Proceed to Part 2 of the Bread Kit Guide.
Need help with your starter? Click here to join our new Facebook Support Group.
STARTER TROUBLESHOOTING
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. 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. Or you could purchase a small heat mat similar to a seedling mat should also help.
Examples of healthy starters (and not so healthy)
Sourdough starters are extremely hard to kill. Even when you think your starter has mould or has a strong smell or layer of liquid sitting above, it can still be saved. You can do this by scraping & discarding any dry/liquid or mould like bits, then taking a tablespoon of the starter & feeding it with 40g of flour & 40g of water. Let it sit at a room temperature of 24 degrees for 12 hours. Do a few more feeds & this should bring it back to life.
Below are some images of healthy and not so healthy starters.
(Image above): a healthy active starter, fed with baker's white flour & at its peak (takes 3-4 hours at room temperature of 24 degrees Celsius). It should have structure & bubble formation on the walls of the jar. It should smell sweet.
Visit Starter Maintenace to learn more about building your starter to add into your bread recipe, how to store your starter & tips on maintaining a healthier starter.