Ever wondered why sourdough is more expensive than other bread? You're about to find out!

First up it requires a 'starter' thats laden with healthy bacterial goodness to help your gut thrive, and gives that signature sour tang.

So, What's Is A Starter?

A sourdough starter is simply a mixture of flour and water – which contains microorganisms that become strong enough to make the bread rise through a process of fermentation. The stronger the sourdough starter, the better the bread.

Ingredients

• 25g strong white bread flour

• 25g rye flour

• 50g warm-to-the-touch water

Method

• Step 1 - Mix & Rest

  Mix 25g strong white bread flour, 25g rye flour and 50g warm-to-the-touch water (weigh it for accuracy) well, and leave, loosely covered, for 24 hours at room temperature. There may not be too many bubbles at this stage.

• Step 2 - Eat, Sleep, Feed, Repeat!!

  The next day, add 15g more of each flour to the starter and 30g of water. Mix well and, again, leave loosely covered at room temperature for another 24 hours. (

  If a crust has formed its just got a little too dry, simply scrape away, discard, then add the water and mix).

• Step 3 - Eat, Sleep, Feed, Repeat!!

  Repeat this second step every day for the next four days (a total of 5 days) and the starter will begin to bubble and rise more with each feed.

• Step 4 - Congratulations - You Made It!!

  Weigh out 40g of your starter - you are now ready to start making sourdough.

• Step 5 - Feed Your Next Starter

  You can use the remainder to make, crumpets, muffins, pancakes; or feed it again with the same amounts of flour and water and leave for 8 hours. This will then be a new starter to make further loaves with – just remember to keep some starter back every time you bake for a constant supply of starter.

How to store your sourdough starter

When not using the starter, it’s best to keep it in the fridge – this drastically reduces its activity. If I’m not baking at all that week, I will feed the starter with 50g flour and 50g water, and put it back in the fridge. This will give it enough food to keep it alive while it’s not being used.

As long as its been kept in the fridge, your starter should be revivable after several weeks of neglect, just pour off any clear liquid, give it another feed and leave at room temperature.

(If after one feed you’re not getting many bubbles, feed again and leave it out. If there’s still no movement, it may be time to make a new starter)

Ready To Bake?

The night before I need to make my sourdough I will remove my starter from the fridge, feed it, and leave it out at room temperature to bubble up and get its strength back.

Let's move onto making the sourdough - click here