Sourdough Starter

Sourdough Starter
 
Before you can begin making sourdough bread you have to make the starter, which you use instead of yeast to get the rise and great taste of your bread. It takes between 5 and 7 days to get it going ready for use and then you just keep feeding it and using it and you will not have to start from scratch again.
 
All you need is flour and water!
 
It is recommended that you start with strong white flour but infact I made mine with wholemeal as it was during the flour shortage of the coronavirus lockdown!
 
Day 1
Get out a medium sized Tupperware container and add 75g of strong white flour.
Add to this 75ml of cold water. If you have filtered or mineral use it or if straight from the tap you can leave it in a jug for a while for the chlorine to dissipate.
Stir until there is no dry flour left. Leave the lid off and place in a cupboard and leave for 24 hours.
Not covering it will allow the natural bacteria and yeasts to be attracted into the mixture.
On Day 2 
Add another 75g of flour and 75ml of water and stir. 
On Day 3 and 4 
Add another 75g of flour and 75ml of water and stir.
You can cover it with a cloth on day 4.
Day 5
Pour out half the mixture (you can make a little pancake with this if you want rather than throwing it away. Add a few herbs and some salt and it is quite tasty!)
With the remainder add another 75g of flour and 75ml of water and transfer into a tall glass jar. Leave the lid on loosely and you should be able to see the bubbles as it starts to ferment. Stir well with a chopstick if you have one or spoon.
Day 6 and 7
Carry on feeding the starter each day and when it looks good and bubbly and smells quite vinegary it is ready to use.
Pour or spoon out the required amount for you loaf and keep the rest, feeding each day or if you don’t want to bake daily you can keep the starter in the fridge. Just get it out the night before you want to use it and feed it with 75g flour and 75ml water each time.
 
Enjoy your baking! There is loads of videos on you tube so this is just the beginning!!