Sourdough Home by Brod & Taylor

The sourdough: indispensable for tasty breads

A sourdough starter is a living culture of flour, water, wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. It acts as a natural baking agent, as the microorganisms produce gases (mainly carbon dioxide) that allow the dough to rise.

Terms explained simply

1. Feeding (refreshing)

To keep the starter active and healthy, it needs to be "fed" regularly. That means you give it fresh flour and water. As a result, the microorganisms receive new nutrients and continue to multiply, which maintains the engine of the starter.

• Example: You take part of the material, mix it with fresh flour and water and let it mature in a warm place. The rest of the starter can be stored in the refrigerator, where it falls into a kind of "hibernation" and needs to be fed less often.

2. Fermentation

Fermentation is a fermentation process in which the microorganisms break down the carbohydrates in the flour. This produces gases (which loosen the bread) and organic acids (lactic and acetic acid), which give the bread its characteristic, slightly sour taste and a longer shelf life.

• Example: The bubbles that form in the sourdough are a visible sign of fermentation. They show that the starter is active. The typical smell and taste of a sourdough bread also come from the products of fermentation.

3. Driving force

The driving force describes how much the starter makes the dough rise. A powerful starter doubles its volume in a relatively short time after feeding.

• Example: If the starter has doubled its volume after 4-8 hours, it is ready for baking. If the drive is still too weak, he may need to be fed for a few more days. The baking results are directly dependent on the engine of the starter.

4. Retain Starter

As the name suggests, the sourdough starter starts the acidification of the bread dough. This is added to the unleavened bread dough. When the dough is fully acidified, you take the same portion that you have added away for the next bread dough and keep it well chilled. However, it should not be kept unobserved due to possible mold formation. The best way to avoid mold is to stir it daily with a clean stick or spoon.