Sourdough Starter Tips
Your Starter’s Health
Your starter is the heart of sourdough. A happy, active starter will rise, bubble, smell pleasantly tangy, and double in size within a few hours of feeding.
Keep it consistent: same flour, same feeding routine, same temperature. If your starter isn’t lively, your bread won’t be either.
Dough Development
Sourdough relies on gentle gluten development rather than aggressive kneading. After mixing, allow the dough to rest (autolyse), then build strength over time with stretch-and-folds or coil folds.
Pay attention to how the dough feels smooth, elastic dough that can hold shape is your green light to move forward.
Fermentation & Temperature
Sourdough is all about fermentation timing. Warmer kitchens speed things up; cooler ones slow things down. Watch the dough, not the clock: look for roughly a 30–50% increase in volume during bulk fermentation.
A slow, cold overnight proof in the fridge helps develop deeper flavour and makes the dough easier to handle the next day.
A Last Word on Your Loaf
Sourdough is as much a craft as it is a recipe. Every loaf teaches you something about timing, intuition, and the simple magic of flour, water, and salt. Whether you're nurturing your first starter or refining your technique, remember that sourdough rewards patience and curiosity.
Embrace the process, enjoy the small wins, and celebrate every loaf as part of your own evolving bread-making journey.