Would you love to be able to bake a delicious homemade sourdough loaf? We feel that - us too! But what you need first is a sourdough starter. A starter is an active colony of wild yeasts and good bacteria cultivating by combining water and flour which then allows your dough to ferment. Your fermented dough then bakes into a delicious sourdough bread with an array of health benefits far surpassing your usual yeast loaves! This starter will become like a beloved family pet as you will need to feed it daily and show it a little bit of love, however you will reap the rewards every time you bake a loaf as every sourdough recipe will start with your starter (excuse the pun).
You can purchase a sourdough starter online, take some from a friends and cultivate that into your own, or lastly you can make your own from scratch! This takes ten days however minimal work and contact hours needed every day. Plus you get the joy and satisfaction of watching your starter come to life! Our easy step-by-step recipe using just flour and water plus all the info you need to properly care for your starter can be found on pages 32-42 of our beginner sourdough cookbook ‘Simple Sourdough’. While not essential, we also love the Kilner Sourdough Starter Kit when making your starter as it comes with literally everything you need to ensure it’s an easy and enjoyable experience. If you already have a starter or are purchasing one I still highly recommend this kit to store your starter in as you’ll be perfectly kitted out for ongoing care.
P.S. If a once-a-week-only feed sounds more doable with your life (instead of a once-a-week), check out page 42, Simple Sourdough.
