A blog loaded with all my tips tricks and frequently asked questions about my sourdough journey.
My Must have Sourdough Tools
Don’t get me wrong you can make sourdough on a Champagne budget or we can do it on a beer budget… In case you weren’t aware i’m on that beer budget. Not to say i don’t have a few fancy things, but i generally make do with what i can. All of these can be found on my amazon storefront here. Note: i do make a small commission on things you purchase from amazon as an amazon affiliate.
- Stainless Steel mixing bowls
- King Arthur All purpose & Bread Flour
- King Arthur bread book
- Scoring Tool
- Flour Towels
- Parchment Paper
- Scale
- Silicone Baking Mat
- Dough Scrapers
- Mason Jars
- Dutch oven
Price shop around. Some things i get from all different stores to cut down on costs. You can refer to the amazon store front and know what you need to shop around town.
The Starter Recipe & How I Maintain it
I use the recipe from that King Arther book. Page #223. My starter has been since January 2022. It was fairly easy to do but i did fail at my first attempt to make starter. So be sure to read the recipe and follow the steps closely.
I feed my starter once a week. I keep a few of them in mason jars cause this is what works for us. Keeping the starter in the fridge in between feedings. EVERYTHING molds SUPER fast in the south and i just don’t like the idea of it being out all the time.
- When i go to feed my starter i pull them out of the fridge 30 minutes or an hour before i plan to feed. I also get fridge/filtered water and let it warm up as well.
- One mason jar of starter gets split in 1/2 to create (2) Feed Starters. I split 113 grams twice and feed both halves in a mason jar with 113 grams water, and 113 grams all purpose flour. If i have any discard extra i make a recipe with it. I never trash “Discard” cause i think it is wasteful. It is also like pouring golden in the trash. lol.
- Mix well and cover with a paper towel, and the jars ring lid. Storing in the back of the fridge.
My Sourdough has a liquid is it bad?
NO!!! Your starter is hungry and needs to be fed. They call this hooch. My starters get this around the week mark, especially if i am a few days over. You can do a few things to handle this.
- Stir it in to the starter and feed that baby!!!!
- Take off the top hooch part, and discard it. Then feed that baby!
What do i do with any “Discard” or Extra Starter?
Hit that Pinterest board here. I have a whole list of some of my favorite discard Recipes i use. There are truly ENDLESS recipes for discard. Many of which are SUPER quick and easy to do. Like muffins, pancakes and more.
The Recipe I use to Bake a Loaf
From the King Arthur Book Recipe from page #234/235. The recipe is pretty straight forward to follow but feel free to drop a comment with any question that may come up, or reach out on Social media and i will happily help.
Learning to bake sourdough is all about trail and error and sometimes things just suck if we rush the process. There are MANY recipes you can find and follow. But i will link the Pinterest board i have here to all my favs.
What if my house is super cold
Don’t worry boo… My house is like 63-67 haha. We like that crisp air! If your house is super cold when you are ready to bake then feed that starter and pop it in the oven with the light on to keep it warm. Humidity, and temperature play a room in how your starter is. For me i use the oven to both control temps and humidity on those very humid days. If you are trying to keep it cooler and your house is toooo hot one day put it in the oven with the light off.
Get creative and don’t be afraid to try something NEW
My most recent loaf was a Lemon, and blueberry. Super good! But to be honest i needed to go heavier on the lemon. But now we know for next time.
Where do i get all my Cutting boards
Luck for you, I know a great woodworking business. Ratt’s W4 is a Colorado based, custom wood working business. Crafting stunning unique and custom cutting boards, charcuterie boards and more. All the cutting boards in any of my sourdough photographs are by them. Check them out, and support another small business.
What are some of your Favorite Recipes
My Number one favorite place to find recipes right now is by Little Spoon Farm. Here are some of my favorites.
- Blueberry Muffins with crumb Top (Recipe Here)
- Sourdough bagels (Recipe Here)
- Bread by Elise Cinnamon Rolls (Recipe Here)
Are you looking for a Sourdough Loving Photographer?
Hey, it’s me. Your sourdough loving photographer. Here in North Carolina to capture those stunning family photos you have been dying for. If we aren’t sourdough besties we should be. But also let’s take those family photos. You can Reach out to me or give me a follow on instagram @RattTrapArtistry. To stay up to date on all the latest sourdough bakes, or what up coming mini’s we are hosting.
