During the pandemic we saw an sharp increase interest in bread baking, particularly sourdough bread. Whis is great, but we also saw a sharp decline in happyness right after that. Why? Folks did not go in prepared! In this blog we’ll first get into what is sourdough, and how does it differ from bread made with yeast. Next: we’ll give you 5 important rules that will make your sourdough journey more succesful and more fun!
What is sourdough?
Sourdough is a type of bread that’s made using a natural fermentation process. Rather than adding commercial yeast to the dough, sourdough bread is made by mixing flour and water and allowing the natural yeasts and bacteria present in the flour, as well as in the environment to colonize the mixture. This mixture is called a “starter,” or “sourdough starter” and it’s what gives sourdough bread its distinct flavor and texture.
The fermentation process in sourdough bread occurs when the yeasts in the starter consume the carbohydrates in the flour, producing carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct. This gas causes the dough to rise, giving it a light and airy texture. The bacteria in the starter also produce lactic and acetic acid, which give sourdough bread its tangy flavor and distinctive aroma.
Some differences between sourdough bread and yeast bread
Flavor
One of the main differences between sourdough bread and bread made with commercial yeast is the flavor. Sourdough bread has a tangy, slightly sour taste that’s unique to the fermentation process. Bread made with commercial yeast, on the other hand, has a milder, more neutral flavor. In a dough made with bakers yeast only a single fermentation happens with a single type of yeast. On the other hand in a sourdough hundreds of fermentations can happen at the same time. This results in a more complex, flavorful endresult.
Texture
Another difference between the two types of bread is the texture. Sourdough bread tends to be denser and chewier than bread made with commercial yeast, due to the longer fermentation process and also because less yeasts may be in the starter.
More digestible and healthier
The natural acids produced during fermentation also help to break down the gluten in the flour, making sourdough bread easier to digest for some people. In addition to its distinct flavor and texture, sourdough bread has other benefits as well. The longer fermentation process used in sourdough bread can help to break down phytic acid, a compound found in grains that can inhibit the absorption of minerals like iron and zinc. Sourdough bread also has a lower glycemic index than bread made with commercial yeast, meaning it causes a slower rise in blood sugar levels.
Sharper learning curve
Sourdough bread baking is significantly more difficult than yeast bread baking. There are more variables, and more things that can go wrong. So, we’ve compuled 6 rules that will help you be succesful in your sourdough journey.
The 5 most important rules for getting started with sourdough making
1. Use one technique
There a a multitude of sourdough books, blogs and youtube channels. Each of them using have slight variations on creating or maintaining the starter, or on kneading or baking. Some use 15% sourdough, some 25. Some use the stretch and fold techniqe, some the no knead technique. Some toss part of their starter every day, some don’t.
And, each of the books are probably great and each of the variations probably work. What will NOT work, is using them all at once. Or combining step 1 from blog A, with technique 3 from book B. It will get hopelessly messy, in your head, in your kitchen and in your oven.
Buy 1 book. Or follow 1 channel. And get really good at that 1 method. That is how you will master your sourdough skills.
2. Start simple
If you’re new to sourdough making, don’t start off with a spelt pecan whole grain bread. It sounds delicious but you will fail. Start easy. Start with a simple white wheat sourdough bread. This way you can focus on the (many) techniques of bread making. It’s hard enough as it is. When you can succesfully and consistently make a airy, crunchy white wheat bread, start adding some whole wheat flour, like 10%. Then 15, the 20%.
3. Start with yeast
It may sound odd, but begin by using yeast in addition to your sourdough starter. Then, when you’re really good at making this bread, slowly lower the amount of added yeast every bake until you are able to succesfully and consitently produce a well made bread with just the sourdough.
4. Write everything down
The amount of variables in bread baking, particularly sourdough bread baking are endless. Temperature, time, mixing, humidity. The more variables you control, the better your breads will be. Writing down all these variables will give you endlessly more control, insight and succes.
5. Repeat
It’s better (and more fun) to get really good at baking one bread, than lousy at ten. So keep baking that one bread until you’ve mastered it, then, and only then, start trying new ones.
Final tip
Looking for an easy guaranteed way to start your starter? Buy one online! With all the many variables you need to control, it’s reasuring to have at least this one down.
Sourdough
Sourdough
Looking for the perfect starter for your home-baked sourdough bread? Buy your well-known top-quality sourdough starters such as Alaska , San Francisco (world-famous!), a classic rye sourdough starter and a gluten-free version here. Make it easy on yourself and buy a starter, instead of having to make one yourself.
What is a sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter consists of flour and water that contains wild yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria using natural fermentation. These cause your bread to rise and give it its characteristic flavour and texture, which is much more complex – and much better – than that of a yeast bread.
What do you need to make sourdough?
To make your own sourdough starter, all you need is flour, water and a little patience. You can also buy a dried sourdough starter, so you can get started quickly, and give your sourdough starter certain characteristics. In terms of materials, a glass or plastic jar, a scale for the right proportions, a cloth or lid and something to stir is enough. All things you have in your home anyway.
What is the right proportions when making sourdough starter ?
To make a sourdough starter, it is important to follow the instructions carefully, and choose a fixed ratio of water to flour or flour . There are both very solid sourdoughs, with relatively little water, and very liquid ones. Consistency is most important.
The most common ratio is equal parts water and flour or flour.
How much water should you add to your sourdough starter?
Many sourdoughs are added with a ‘100% hydration’, which means that you add as much flour as water, in grams. So for example, 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour. But other ratios can work fine too, as long as you use them consistently. If you are using a dried sourdough starter, soak it for a while before you start feeding.
Maintaining your sourdough starter: here’s how to do it
Once your sourdough starter is active (this usually takes about a week after starting), you need to maintain it. Maintaining a sourdough starter is like taking care of a little plant. Fortunately, though, it is a very strong little plant. Unless you bake every day, there is no need to feed your starter every day. You can just keep your sourdough starter in the fridge, and if you feed it there once every two or three weeks according to your regular feeding method, that is more than enough. A common feeding method is to throw away some of it (or use it to make pancakes or something similar) and top it up with the same amount of water and flour.
Note that if you want to bake with it, the starter needs time to ‘wake up’ after being taken out of the fridge, which means you need to plan your baking plans in advance. Count on about 12-24 hours.
The ideal temperatures for your sourdough starter
The ideal temperature if you want to start using your starter is between about 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. But, at any temperature higher than fridge temperature your starter will be active, the warmer it is, the more active it will be.
6 signs that your sourdough starter is no longer healthy
Although a sourdough starter is generally robust, it can still happen that something goes wrong with it. Below are 6 indicators that your starter is no longer good. No problem, start over and within a week you’ll have a healthy starter again.
1. Unpleasant smell: a healthy starter smells fresh and sour, an unhealthy starter may have an unpleasant smell. Be careful, during the making of your starter (the first 7 days), the starter can start to smell a bit unpleasant, this improves by itself after a few days
2. Discolouration: If the starter shows pink, orange or greenish spots, this can indicate the growth of unwanted bacteria or moulds.
3. Layer of moisture: A layer of dark liquid (also known as ‘hooch’) on top of the starter can indicate malnutrition or too cold conditions, although this is not always a sign of an unhealthy starter. However, if the ‘hooch’ is a strange colour or smells, it is not a good sign.
4. Consistency: If the starter suddenly changes a lot (is very watery or has an unusual texture), this may indicate that the proportions when feeding are incorrect or that there is an imbalance in the yeast/bacteria balance. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your starter is unusable, but it may need to be fed more frequently again, for example
5. Difficulty activating: If a starter stored in the fridge is difficult to reactivate and shows no signs of life after several feedings, it is possible that the starter is no longer healthy.
6. Fungi: Hairy or fluffy substance on your starter? That’s almost certainly a fungus. Get rid of it and start again.
FAQ
**What flour do you use for sourdough starter?
It is best to start your starter with a wholemeal flour (e.g. rye, spelt or wheat) and then start feeding it with white flour. If you buy a sourdough starter, you only need to feed with flour
**How often should you feed your starter?
Feed your starter at least once every two or three weeks in the fridge, but daily if you are actively using it.
**My sourdough stinks. What should I do?**
A sour or slightly sour smell is normal, but if it smells unpleasant, it is better to start again. If your starter smells like acetone/nail polish remover, that’s no reason to throw it away. In that case, try feeding your starter more often. Sometimes switching from a wholemeal flour to a white flour can also help.
**How do you know if your sourdough starter is ready?
If it doubles in volume and shows bubbles within 4 to 8 hours of feeding, your starter is ready to use. Doubling, by the way, is not necessarily necessary, as it also depends a lot on the size of your pot, the wetness of your starter and the type of flour it is made with. The smell is also important, nice fresh sour and slightly yeasty is what you want.
**Can you also use flour for the sourdough starter?
You can start your sourdough starter with different types of flour. From rye to spelt and from teff flour to wheat. Each carries its own microorganisms. Feeding may also be done with a wholemeal flour, but it works better (and is cheaper) to do it with a white flour. Even if you buy a starter, you only need to feed with white flour. The microorganisms from the flour are already in your starter.
**How long does a sourdough starter last?
In the fridge, a sourdough starter can stay good for years, provided it is fed regularly. Once every 2-3 weeks is sufficient. There are examples of sourdough starters more than 100 years old.
About starter cultures
Startercultures.eu was founded in 2018 by Dutch foodwriter ‘Meneer Wateetons’.
At that time he had authored several books on sausage making and fermentation. One of the most frequently asked question he got from readers was: “Love the books, but where can I find those starter cultures needed for making dry cured sausages/tempeh/miso etc”. After having pointed his readers to their butcher, or shops in Japan, China or Indonesia with crazy shipping times and costs for years, he decided to start offering these products himself.
A webshop was born.
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