Sourdough Starter How To Make Your Own in 12 Days with Only Water and Flour Easy Beginner Recipe, by Kelly Welk on YouTube. 19 min 4 s.
- Video length
- 19 min 4 s
- Time to do it
- 12 days, about 5 minutes a day
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
On day 1, weigh 25 grams of room temperature water and 25 grams of bread flour into a pint jar. Stir well, set the lid on loosely and keep the jar at a steady 65 to 70 F.
On day 2, leave the starter alone. Just check that it stays in the same warm spot.
On day 3, look for bubbles. Move 25 grams of starter into a quart jar and put that discard jar in the fridge. Feed the main jar 25 grams of water and 25 grams of bread flour.
On days 4, 5 and 6, remove 50 grams of starter into the discard jar. Feed the main jar 25 grams of water and 25 grams of bread flour and stir.
On day 7, remove 50 grams of starter and start the bigger feed. Add 50 grams of water and 50 grams of bread flour, stir and set the lid on loosely.
On day 8, remove 100 grams of starter into the discard jar. Feed 50 grams of water and 50 grams of bread flour.
On days 9 to 12, repeat the day 8 feeding. The starter should double in size within a few hours of each feed.
On day 12, do one last big feeding. Once the starter doubles, take 100 grams to bake with or move the jar to the fridge for storage.
Tips and common mistakes
Use bread flour and room temperature water, and avoid chlorinated water if your tap water is heavily treated.
Keep the lid loose so gas can escape, and never seal a jar tight during active fermentation.
A funky smell and thin texture in the first week are normal. Keep feeding on schedule.
If the starter is not rising by day 8, move it somewhere warmer and check that you are weighing feeds accurately.
Questions
How do I know my starter is ready to bake with?
It should double in size within about 4 to 8 hours of a feeding for several days in a row. It should smell pleasantly sour and look bubbly and thick.
Do I have to discard starter every day?
Yes, removing some starter keeps the feed ratio right and stops the jar overflowing. Keep the discard in a quart jar in the fridge and use it for pancakes or crackers.
Can I store the starter in the fridge after day 12?
Yes. Once it is active and doubling, put it in the fridge and feed it about once a week. Warm it and feed it a few times before baking.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
