How to use Bakerdale dehydrated organic sourdough starter

Day 1

Place the content of the dehydrated starter packet in a small mixing bowl or dish.

Add 10 grams of bread flour (about 1 tablespoon), and 10 ml (1 tablespoon) of lukewarm water.

Stir with a spoon or spatula until well combined.

Place in a glass cup or jar. Cover with plastic wrap. Poke a small hole in the plastic so the starter can breathe. Let the starter sit for about 24 hours.

Day 2

Feed your starter with about 15 grams of flour and 15 ml of water (About 1 ½ tablespoon each). Mix well. Let it rest for about 24 hours.

Day 3

By now, you should be able to see air bubbles in the starter and it may had started to rise. Give your starter another feeding of about 30 grams (about 1 ounce) of flour and 30 ml of water (about 1 fluid ounce).

Day 4

Your starter should be visibly active. Keep feeding it equal amounts of flour and water each time it doubles in volume. The amount to add is that after the feeding the weight of the starter doubles of what it was before the feeding. If you end up with more than you need, discard some or use in other recipes.

Your starter is ready to use when it doubles in volume in about 4 hours at room temperature. Use your starter in your dough when it has risen well but before it collapses. If it has already collapsed, give it another feeding and wait for it to rise again.

If the starter is too liquidly, it may not rise in volume even if active. The air bubbles may float to the top and fizzle out into the environment. If your starter does not rise by day 4, increase slightly the ratio of flour to water when feeding. The thicker consistency will “support” the rise.

TIPS

If you are new to baking sourdough bread, you should learn about the process before you begin. There are links on this website to books on the subject.

You click here to see it: https://www.bakerdale.com/post/our-favorite-cookbooks

Your starter is a living organism. It must be fed regularly while active to keep it alive. The 2 most important factors are time and temperature. The active stage will take longer when cold and faster when warm.

The climate of your area and your kitchen should be taken into consideration. This will differ depending on the season. You always want to use your starter when it is high in volume but before it collapses. To meet your available baking schedule, slow the rising by using cold water and/or letting it rise part of the time in the cooler, or hasten the process by using warm water and letting it rise in a warm area. With time and experience, you will intuitively know how to proceed.

If you plan to bake regularly, save a little starter for future use. The starter can be kept alive forever if it is fed daily on a regular schedule.

If you need more starter sooner, you can feed it twice daily. You should still wait for it to double in volume before feeding. Use warm water to speed up the process, and/or let it sit in a warm place.

You can keep your starter in the refrigerator between baking days for about 1 week without daily feedings. The starter will become dormant allowing it to survive. Give it at least one feeding before using it again. It should double in volume between 4 to 8 hours. If it takes longer, or if it does not double in volume, a second feeding is required before using.

You can store your starter in the freezer for longer periods. Before using again, defrost, and feed once. If it takes a long time to double in volume, a second feeding is required.

Questions?

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