Some more top tips for you and answers to the questions I am most often asked…
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Give your starter time, it may look like it’s doing nothing, but it’s building strength, stick with it
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If your starter is thin with tiny bubbles, add extra flour to thicken it up, it needs the extra food
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If your starter has a layer of murky liquid in the top, it’s not ruined, it’s just hungry. Feed it! And make sure you are not keeping it anywhere too warm, the heat will make it constantly thin and weak
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Don’t keep your starter in the oven with the light on, it’s too hot, it will work too fast and always be too thin and weak
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The flour you have made your starter from does not need to match the flour in your dough
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Follow the process steps and allow your dough time to do its work
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Don’t leave dough on the oven overnight with the light on, it will over prove and be spoiled
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Check out all of the info on my site about flour, weather, scoring, storing, the FAQs, baking times takes, there’s lots of free info there for you
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Check out the equipment list, and….
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If you don’t have a banneton, line a similar sized bowl with a clean tea towel and sprinkle it with rice flour
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If you don’t have rice flour, grind some uncooked rice, it’s the same thing
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You can use any covered oven proof pan just make sure it’s big enough
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Sourdough is a wonderfully slow process, let it happen and enjoy it, it will be worth it
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Watch your dough and not the clock
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Give your dough time to double overnight; depending on the temperature overnight this may take shorter or longer than my usual times stated in my master recipe
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If your dough is soft and spreads, use 25g less water in your dough next time
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If you dough spreads when you turn it out in the pan, but bakes up to a lovely loaf, don’t worry about the spreading, enjoy your loaf
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Always my biggest and most important tip:
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If it tastes good IT IS GOOD!
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Don’t focus on looks and holes and scoring, they don’t make it taste any better, enjoy what you’ve created, it’s amazing x x
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Thanks for sharing the tips, Elaine. I’m new to sourdough and have been looking for some simpler information about maintaining a starter. I discovered your website, blog and youtube channel a couple of days ago and have spent the long weekend (Queen’s birthday weekend in New Zealand) absorbing the information. Thanks for ditching all the percentages and over-complications and making it seem much simpler. I’m keen to try your master recipe and cold-start baking next weekend.
Hi Megan, thank you so much, I hope it all helps and that you have fun making your own sourdough 🙏🏻🙏🏻 please let me know if I can help more xx
Thanks so much for ALL your info. Bought your book Whole Grain Sourdough at Home and need to order the next one. I’m new to sourdough baking but finally have my very own starter alive and well. My MIL recently asked me, “Why are you obsessed with baking your own sourdough bread”? LOL
Happy to find so many others loving this experience! Happy to learn soooooo much from so many!
Thank you!
-An obsessed grandma in Texas.
I love this, thank you so much, I really hope you enjoy it all 🥰🥰 and it’s a WONDERFUL obsession to have! 🤩🤩
Can you comment on the/ appropriate water to use for my starter. My instructions said filtered or boiled water at room temperature. Is distilled water considered filtered water?
I’m so sorry, your message didn’t show up for me 🙏🏻
I don’t recommend using distilled water…