Sourdough Basics presented by Amanda Chambers of Joyride Baking
Griffin-Spalding County Library, February 8, 2024
Terms to know:
Baker’s Percentage: A way of expressing formulas in which the flour weight represents 100% and all other ingredients are a percentage of the flour weight.
Bulk Fermentation: The period of time between mixing and before dividing and shaping the dough when the dough develops enough strength, gas bubbles, and acidity to hold its shape.
Discard: The portion of starter disposed of when feeding a starter as part of its routine maintenance. Use discard starter in pancakes, muffins, and other recipes as specified.
Feeding: Adding flour and water to a portion of the starter to support its growth, and to maintain its balance of yeast and bacteria.
Fermentation: The process of yeast consuming sugars and producing carbon dioxide and alcohol; and friendly bacteria (lactobacilli) producing organic acids.
Gluten: The protein found in wheat and some other grains that, when combined with water, gives structure to baked goods.
Levain: A French term for sourdough bread. May also refer to the sourdough starter itself, when used as a pre-ferment in a recipe.
Naturally-Fermented: The rapid rise of yeast bread once it enters an oven, due primarily to carbon dioxide expansion during the initial phase of baking.
Oven Spring: The rapid rise of yeast bread once it enters an oven, due primarily to carbon dioxide expansion during the initial phase of baking.
Proof: The final rise of dough before baking.
Sourdough Starter: A culture of wild yeast and bacteria that, when properly maintained, leavens and flavors bread.
Source: King Arthur Baking (www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/guides/sourdough/glossary)
Helpful Baking Tools to Have:
Large mixing bowl
Scale
Small spatula
Several jars or containers
Proofing baskets and liner
Bowl scraper
Spray bottle
Lame
Dutch oven or combo cooker
Heavy oven mitts
Instant-read thermometer
Bread knife
Starting a starter
What you need: whole grain rye or wheat, bread flour that’s not bleached or bromated- mix these in equal proportions and keep in a container to feed your starter.
Two jars or containers.
A warm environment
Start with 25 grams of whole grain flour, 25 grams of bread flour, and 50 grams of water.
Stir vigorously and cover, marking the top of the starter on the container with a pen or rubber band. 24 hours later, discard all but 25 grams OR put 25 grams into a new jar and add 50 grams of your flour mixture and 50 grams of water and stir again. Mark the jar again- this is to help you know if the starter is growing.
Discard and feed again 24 hours later (day 3). Continue this process on days 3-6. When the starter is reliably rising several hours after being fed and smells like yogurt or fruit, then your starter is active and ready to use! If it hasn’t risen at all over 7 days, time to discard all of it and start over. Continue feeding at least once a day for 14 days before storing in the refrigerator.
Maintaining your Starter
A healthy, thriving starter is the key to successful sourdough baking. A starter is a living thing–it requires regular feedings of flour and water to be healthy. Aim to feed your starter at least once a week whether you are baking or not. In between feedings, your starter can live in the refrigerator. To feed your starter, take a small portion, about 5 grams (or roughly a teaspoon) and feed it 10 grams of water and 15 grams of flour. This is slightly dryer than a standard 100% hydration starter and can typically go a longer amount of time between feedings. The portion you do not feed is called “discard.” You can save it to bake a discard recipe with or compost it. The “stiff” starter is ripe and ready to return to the fridge when it is puffy and doubled in size.
To scale your starter up for baking, feed it a ratio of 1:2:2, that is one part starter to two parts flour and two parts water. In other words, mix together twice as much flour and water as starter. To bake the Basic Loaf below, mix 25 grams (all of your refrigerated starter) with 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water. This will give you 125 grams of starter total: 100 grams to bake with, and 25 grams of fed starter to put back in the fridge. The starter is ready to bake when it is bubbly and has at least doubled in size. If you bake in the morning, feed your starter before bed. If you bake in the evening, feed it first thing in the morning. Warm temperatures will make your starter ripen faster; cool temperatures will mean it ripens more slowly.
Resources for further learning
Books:
The Sourdough School, Vanessa Kimbell
And so many more! Check the PINES catalog to find a wealth of options!
Websites and pages:
www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/guides/sourdough
“Debugging Your Sourdough Crumb”
www.the-bread-code.io/tutorial/2022/04/14/debugging-your-crumb.html
“The Ultimate Guide to Proof Bread Dough”
www.theperfectloaf.com/guides/proofing-bread-dough
“21 Common Sourdough Starter Problems with Solutions”
https://www.theperfectloaf.com/21-common-sourdough-starter-problems-with-solutions/
“How to make a sourdough starter of any kind!”
https://www.ellyseveryday.com/how-to-make-a-sourdough-starter
On YouTube:
“A Sourdough Masterclass for Home Bakers” @Grantbakes
https://youtu.be/QWiouzzCUcs?si=t1q091nmE1zf4VBd
“Your First Sourdough Bread (FULL COURSE in 30 Minutes) @the_bread_code
https://youtu.be/msqU-ylXWUs?si=WXxphtDCPNKH3va1
Basic Sourdough (makes one large 950 gram loaf)
400g King Arthur bread flour
100g fresh-milled or King Arthur whole wheat flour
350g water (use warm water in the winter and cool water during the summer)
100g active starter (fed approx. 8 hours before mixing)
10g salt (fine sea salt, Redmond Real Salt, or similar)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, starter, and salt. Stir until combined. Add the flour and mix thoroughly until no dry bits remain. Cover and rest for 30 minutes, then do one set of stretch and folds. Complete 3 more sets of stretch and folds one hour apart. After the last set, check the dough. Has it grown? Does it feel puffy? Look for about 30% growth and dough that feels somewhat airy. Turn the dough out on the counter and shape into a tight ball. Let it rest for about 30 minutes, then shape into a loaf. Use a bit of water on your work surface and hands to prevent sticking. Place your dough in your proofing basket. To bake the next day: allow the loaf to proof 30 minutes to an hour (depending on ambient temperature) and place in the refrigerator overnight. To bake the same day, allow to proof until the dough is relaxed, puffy, and passes the “poke” test. While proofing (or the next morning) preheat the oven with your Dutch oven inside to 450 degrees. Score your loaf, spritz with water or add a couple of ice cubes and bake with the lid on for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and internal temperature is 206-210 degrees. Wait at least one hour before slicing for the crumb to set. Store in your Dutch oven on the counter or wrapped in a tea towel. Enjoy!
