Sourdough starter
I was given a sourdough starter a week ago and I kept it in the fridge. Yesterday I added the flour and warm water and left it at room temp. The recipe said leave for about 8hours and when it is bubbling, add more flour and water and knead it. But it has now been nearly 14 hours and it has never bubbled. It got some pin prick marks in the surface but that was all. Is it ruined? What do I do now? Throw it away and give up?
I was attempting to begin the process of making a loaf from the Cotteridge Sourdough Recipe. Once it had bubbled I was due to remove the amount for next weeks loaf, add more flour, cold water and salt, knead for ten minutes and then leave in an oiled bowl overnight to rise, but no real bubbling and now it looks like it has separated.
Best Answer
When I've made sourdough, I've always had a very active starter. To get it active discard half of the starter, and then double it with equal volumes of water and flour.
For example: If you have 2 cups of starter, dump out 1 cup, and add .5 cup water and .5 cup flour.
Feed it twice a day. When you see vigorous fermentation between feedings, it's ready to use. You can tell it's fermenting well by transferring into a new jar (mason jars work well) and seeing if the level rises and falls significantly between feedings.
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What exactly is a sourdough starter?
The science: a sourdough starter is a symbiotic community of lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast. Both yeast and bacteria feed on the carbohydrates present in flour when hydrated with water and allowed to ferment.Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it?
You must discard some of your sourdough starter each time you feed it. You'll discover that discarding is necessary to build a healthy and thriving sourdough starter - but it's not actually as wasteful as you might think.Is sourdough starter just flour and water?
Simply put: a sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of fresh flour and water. Once combined, the culture begins to ferment cultivating the natural yeasts found in our environment. A small portion is added to your bread dough to make it rise. Commercial yeast IS NOT required.How long does it take to make sourdough starter?
Making sourdough starter takes about 5 days. Each day you "feed" the starter with equal amounts of fresh flour and water. As the wild yeast grows stronger, the starter will become more frothy and sour-smelling.The Ultimate Sourdough Starter Guide
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Answer 2
I wouldn't worry just yet, it won't die easily. You can dispose of half and try again. Have a look how much of the starter you need for the recipe. Put most (80%) of your starter into a separate container and top it up with equal quantities of water ( doesn't have to be warm) and flour ( I you organic wholemeal or rye) to match required amount, mix well and leave at room temperature for twelve hours. You should see it grow by then. Don't forget to feed the remaining starter (50:50 water and flour) and put it back to the fridge until you'll need it again... Good luck!
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