Bread Kit Guide

LEARN TO MAKE SOURDOUGH AT HOME

Thank you for choosing Sourdough Mate bread kits, we can’t wait to get started on this bread journey with you!

We recommend reading & watching all the instructions together first before commencing. 

Although we have kept the instructions & recipe simple, as a beginner you may still find it overwhelming & challenging: that’s perfectly normal. The initial steep learning curve is often where people give up but we hope with our guidance & support, you’ll follow through with success!

Remember to be kind to yourself & don’t give up because every failed bake is a chance to learn! 

We want to give new bakers the best chance at succeeding, so make sure you join our Facebook Support Group, ask questions & get tips along the way.

 Learn to keep your tools in good working order, please head to our Use & Care Guide. 

 

LET’S BEGIN

Below are a few items you may already have in your kitchen which you’ll need to gather before we begin. 


YOU WILL NEED:

  • Strong baker’s flour

If you have purchased our Basic Starter Bread Kit, you will need quality bread flour, preferably organic stoneground. See our range of organic stoneground Australian flours. If you have our Complete Sourdough Bread Kits, you are good to go! 

  • Small jar with lid 

An old jam jar that has been cleaned is perfect or you could use one of our Starter Jars.

  • Kitchen scale

Useful for weighing all types of ingredients - flour, water, salt. See kitchen scale. 

  • Large mixing bowl

Preferably a thickish walled large mixing bowl, in the videos we have used a Pyrex 24cm/3L glass mixing bowl or similar. 
  • Cast iron Dutch oven
Our preferred method of baking bread is the Dutch oven method. This is the perfect vessel to create a hot & steamy environment so that your bread can rise & expand easily. For best results we recommend a bread specific pan like our Bread Pan Dutch oven. This is a game changer! 

  • Oven that can heat up to atleast 230 degrees Celsius

Ensure your oven is able to reach a high temperature required for baking bread. 

  

PART 1: CLICK HERE TO REVIVE STARTER FLAKES 

Activating your starter flakes is the first step. Allow for 24 hours before an active starter is achieved. Follow the instructions here. 

Once your starter is active you may proceed to Part 2 (below) to begin making your sourdough bread. 

PART 2: LET’S MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD

Once you have an active starter, you can begin baking your first loaf of sourdough! Allow for 24 hours from start to finish - go to our Country Sourdough Bread Recipe.

If you’re not quite ready to make bread, please read our starter maintenance page for tips on how to keep your starter healthy while you’re not baking. 

If you need more flour, see our range of organically grown Australian Bread Flours.