Maybe you notice I didn’t say it is easy.
Even though making a starter seems like the first hurdle, it’s the trickiest one of all.
Unlike with manufactured yeast, a natural yeast startertakes time to become active.
Active yeast means lots of gas bubbles, and these bubbles are what makes your bread tall and spongy.
Thefermentation periodis where your yeast strengthens in gas production and develops that delicious tangy flavor.
Oh, and you have to figure out how to catch your own invisible yeast.
Sometimes, the only answer is patience.
But other times something has just gone wrong.
What is wild yeast exactly?
Yeast that refuses to be tamed.
It turns out, just like bacteria exist on everything, there are also yeast spores floating around everywhere.
You just have to catch some in a mishmash of water and flour.
On paper, this is pretty simpleI have a recipe that seems easy enough.
A kitchen scale will be indispensable for bread making, so I highly recommend buying one.
(you’re able to find them forunder $15.)
I also mix in a half teaspoon or so of raw honey.
This is optional, but its the way I was taught.
(It keeps working, so I keep doing it.)
Mix everything together until there are no dry spots left.
Your wild yeast bait is set.
Leave the bowl uncovered in your kitchen for an hour or two.
Its okay if it dries on the edges a little.
Dont make the lid completely airtight.
Leave the starter alone to sit at room temperature for 72 hours.
It will have grown in size about 50% to 100%.
It should look alive and smell sour.
It’s rather unpleasant, but that’s a good sign.
Discard this paste and start again.
Use the tips below to ensure you catch enough wild yeast on the next attempt.
Problem: My starter never made any bubbles.
Use the right ingredients.Dont skip on the whole wheat or rye wheat flour.
They have more nutrients that benefit yeast growth, so it pays off to use one of them.
It has its own neighborhood of microorganisms and can give wild yeast something to snack on.
Continue to age the starter for another 48 hours and look for signs of life as outlined above.
Use a bowl to catch yeast.It might only be a small change you need.
Unless your kitchen is particularly gusty, you might be blocking off air flow.
Problem: My starter made bubbles but hardly grew.
This means your starter is alive, but theres no net to trap the bubbles.
If this is the case, when you next feed your starter, use high gluten flour.
Thoroughly mix the preferment to develop the gluten connection and age the starter for another 24 hours.
You should see a big difference in height.
Im sure youve heard of folks talk of keeping their starter alive for years or decades, sometimes longer.
Youll need to mix in its total weight in additional flour and water.
Then youll have 30 ounces total of starter.
The steps to feed a sourdough starter
1.
Use your kitchen scale so you know how much weight you gotta add.
Measure out as much starter as you need into a mixing bowl.
The other half of the starter gets discarded.
Throw it away, or make something with it right away.
(More on that in a moment.)
Add equal parts of water and high gluten flour to the mixing bowl.
Mix it thoroughly so no dry patches remain.
Put it back in the jar and cover it.
Its at the height of its growth before deflating, actively making the most bubbles before wearing out.
Youll get the best performance from your starter during this time.
Search for recipes that include both starter and commercial yeast for speed, likethis one from King Arthur Baking.
Be patient, dont give up, and dont forget to feed your mother.
