110 gram whole wheat or rye flour (a scant cup) 110 gram filtered water (75° F) (1/2 cup or 4 oz.)
To feed your starter:
110 gram 50/50 whole wheat and bread flour blend (a scant cup) 110 gram filtered water (75° F) (1/2 cup or 4 oz)
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Making your cuts at a slight angle on top of your dough creates a raised area on the surface of the bread, often referred to as an “ear”. The flap of dough raises up during baking.
Maintain a regular feeding schedule
If baking often, store starter at room temperature and feed it at regular intervals. Otherwise, cover the jar of starter loosely with a lid and refrigerate 1 hour after feeding. Feed starter once a week to maintain. When ready to use, let stand at room temperature and continue with feedings twice a day. We recommend 2 to 3 feedings before using the starter to make bread.To feed starter to make the Artisan Sourdough, carry forward 110 g starter and feed with 110 g water and 110 g flour. The remaining starter becomes discard which can be used in Sourdough Waffles, Seedy Sourdough Crackers, and Sourdough Buckwheat Banana BreadTo maintain less starter, remove 75 g starter and feed with 75 g filtered water and 75 g flour. The remainder becomes discard. If you reduce the amount of starter to keep, you will want to build it up by feeding a couple of days before using.
Storing discard
Store the starter discard in a separate jar in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before using in recipes that call for discard. For best results, use within a week. If liquid collects on the top of the discard, stir it in before using.
Notes on feeding and temperature
Cooler temperatures slow starter fermenting and result in a stronger acid profile. Warmer temperatures speed up the process and encourage more fruity, sour notes.Use a rubber band to mark the level of the starter in the jar just after feeding so you can tell when it doubles in size and is ready to use.Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten to feed the starter longer than 24 hours at room temperature. Discard any liquid that may have separated, then continue with regular feedings. This liquid (called hooch) is alcohol released during fermentation. It doesn’t mean the starter has gone bad, it just needs to be fed. The starter may darken over time. It’s still safe to use. However, discard if starter develops mold or any pink or orange discoloration. For starters that become very acidic, bring back more of the fruity notes by carrying over less starter but feeding with the same amount of flour and water. Continue as usual. If you like, switch to feeding the starter with 100% bread flour or 100% all-purpose flour. However, using the whole wheat or rye flours will encourage more fermentation.
