Adventures in Dough

Activating a Starter

Bring your dried starter back to life with a little water, flour and love.

You'll Need

  • ✓500ml or bigger glass jar
  • ✓Stirring utensil
  • ✓Tight-weave cloth, paper coffee filter, or loose-fitting lid
  • ✓Rubber band to secure the cover
  • ✓One packet of dehydrated sourdough starter
  • ✓Bottled or spring water
  • ✓White or wholemeal flour (ideally strong bread flour)

Step by Step

1

Pour the entire contents of the dehydrated starter packet into a glass jar.

2

Add 50ml (¼ cup) room temperature bottled or spring water. Mix well.

3

Add 25g (¼ cup) flour. Stir vigorously, incorporating air. Add a little more water if needed — aim for a thick pancake batter consistency.

4

Cover with a tight-weave towel or paper coffee filter, secured with a rubber band.

5

Place in a warm area (20–30°C / 70–85°F) for 12 hours.

6

After 12 hours, feed: mix in 50ml water and 50g flour. Stir vigorously.

7

Cover and return to warm spot for another 12 hours.

8

After 12 hours, discard all but 50g of starter.

9

Mix in 50ml water and 50g flour. Stir vigorously. Once bubbling reliably within a few hours of feeding, feed for 2 more 12-hour cycles. Your starter is now activated!

10

Refrigerate (feeding weekly) or leave on the benchtop (feeding daily).