Natural Sourdough Starter / levain naturel

This is a how-to reference for building a natural sourdough starter, not a finished dish.

Day one

• 18 g spring water
• 18 g rye flour
• 1 coffee spoon honey

Mix the flour, the slightly warm water and the honey, place in the jar and leave in a warm place (above 20°C), with the jar half-covered by a slightly damp piece of cloth that must be re-moistened every day. More or less fine bubbles will appear.

Day four

• 18 g flour T65 (650)
• 18 g spring water Knead the flour and the slightly warm water and add to the dough from day one.

Day six

• 18 g flour T65 (650)
• 18 g spring water Knead the flour and the slightly warm water and add to the dough from day four.

Day eight

• 100 g flour T150 (1500)
• 100 g spring water Knead the flour and the slightly warm water and add to the dough from day six.

The natural starter is ready and we now have 250-300 g of mother starter. The mother starter is the initial enzyme culture, kept carefully in a well-sealed jar in the fridge.

Good condition of the initial starter The initial starter should smell of vinegar, with a sour smell. If it smells of Camembert (slightly mouldy or ammonia smell) it must be discarded. If a crust forms on top, do not discard it — stir it in.

Feeding the initial starter The initial starter is fed so that the culture does not die when it is not in use. For example, by adding 20 g flour + 20 g water. I feed mine with organic wholemeal flour T150 (1500). To strengthen the starter you can add a little honey or eventually sugar. The starter is fed when a thin layer of water forms on its surface.

Refreshing the initial starter Refreshing means increasing the amount of starter by adding flour and water (50% flour + 50% water). The weight of the refreshing additions is determined by the amount of starter needed.

Number of refreshments 1, 2 or 3 refreshments can be done. With 1 refreshment you get a "first" starter; with 2 refreshments a "second" starter; with 3 refreshments a "ready" starter. With 1 refreshment you get bread with a clearly pronounced (sour) taste of the crumb; with 2 refreshments bread with balanced taste and aroma and a well-browned crust; with 3 refreshments bread with a very clearly pronounced taste of the crumb and a thick crust that protects the crumb from the air and thus provides almost perfect preservation of the bread for several days.

Refreshing process To the initial starter add the first refreshing mixture (50% flour T150 (1500), to preserve the original strains, + 50% slightly warm water). Leave the starter — it will rise, bubbles will form and then it will fall. After the starter falls, remove about 150 g, which will serve as a new initial starter and are placed in a well-sealed jar in the fridge. To the remaining part of the starter add the second and third refreshing mixtures (according to the desired number) in the same way as the first, but you may vary the flour used according to your preference.