How to start your sourdough

Gastronomy

Many people have discovered a new passion for homemade bread during captivity.

One of the trends of this containment was undeniable getting your hands dirty in the kitchen. Between recipes, food-related Instagram accounts and an old-fashioned tradition of kneading bread. At the beginning of the closure, the shops even had to contend with a shortage of flour. But success in bread is not given to everyone. Nothing beats the know-how of a baker. However, if you’ve also decided to get started and take it to the next level by starting your own sourdough, here are a few things you should know to get started.

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A long and delicate procedure

First of all, you should know that the production of your sourdough is not always successful. The procedure takes several days and can sometimes be difficult, but with a little patience, you will have enough to make bread every day. The production of bread with sourdough has several advantages: it would be more digestible and less quickly dry. However, yeast is a living material, so be prepared to keep it well and wait longer for its dough to rise. If you want, just bring flour and water.

High-quality ingredients…

To avoid wasting your time and energy, start your sourdough with unrefined flour. No need to try with the T45 or T55. T65, T80 or better, organic rye flour is often recommended, which is rich and gives the beginning of sourdough. It is also often recommended to do it with spring water, but if you prefer tap water to avoid waste, you can only be encouraged.

… and time

It takes at least 5 days to get your sourdough. On the first day, with a wooden spoon, mix 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water at room temperature, or even hot, in a glass container. Cover. Repeat the next day by adding 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour. Let it take place in a warm, dry and draw-free place. The third repeats the operation again and continue for a day or two until the mixture smells a little sour, bubbles occur and your mixture has doubled in volume. After five or six days, the mixture should foam well. If it sounds good to you, you are now in possession of your “Levain Chef”. It is now possible to use it in your bread recipe.

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After that, if it seems too acidic, you can also throw away half of your sourdough and add the weight of what is left in water and flour. (For 200 grams toss away 100g and add 100g flour and 100g water).

Preserving and feeding

If you want to maintain your sourdough well, you need to be careful and feed it regularly. The frequency with which it should be fed is not an exact science. Monitor the times when it bubbles and swells. If the surface is flat (just before descent), it’s time to use sourdough for your bread. To get it, all you need to do is feed the same amount of flour and water every day. And if you go on holiday, it will be easy to keep in the refrigerator for two weeks. When you return, you can set it back to room temperature and feed it for several days at a time before reusing it.