So you’ve received your starter and it’s in powdered form, where do you go from here?
It’s really simple, you just need to bring it back to life with a little water, flour and love.
You’ll need:
- 500ml or bigger Jar
- Stirring utensil
- Tight-weave cloth, paper coffee filter or loose fitting lid
- Rubber band to secure the cover to the jar
- One packet dehydrated sourdough starter
- Water
- White or Wholemeal flour, ideally strong bread flour.
To activate your starter:
- Pour the entire contents of the dehydrated sourdough starter packet into a glass jar.
- Add 50ml (¼ cup) room temperature bottled or spring water and mix well.
- Add 25 grams (¼ cup) cup flour and stir vigorously. Be sure to incorporate a significant amount of air into the mixture. Add more water as required to achieve a thick pancake like mixture.
- Cover with a tight-weave towel or coffee filter, secured with a rubber band.
- Place jar in a warm area 20°C – 30°C (70°-85°F) for 12 hours.
- After 12 hours, feed the starter: Mix in 50ml (¼ cup) water 50 grams (½ cup) flour. Stir vigorously.
- Cover and return to the warm spot for 12 hours.
- After 12 hours, discard all but 50gram (½ cup) starter mixture.
- Mix in 50ml (¼ cup) water 50 grams (½ cup) flour stir vigorously and cover. Once the starter is bubbling reliably within a few hours of being fed, feed for 2 more 12 hour cycles. The starter is now activated.
- You can now refrigerate your starter (feeding once a week to keep active) or leave on your benchtop and feed daily, discarding excess starter as necessary.