Quick beginner sourdough tips!

Hi there! Well done for starting your sourdough journey. Here are a few tips for getting started and improving your sourdough:

1. Start small- When making sourdough starter so much flour is wasted. Start with just a tablespoon of flour and water, mix it, leave it overnight and then remove half, steadily increasing the amount each day but at a constant ratio. i started with a 1:1:1 ratio but now I do 1:5:5 with more water and flour than starter to strengthen it.

2. Placing your sourdough starter- find a warm space in your house. This could be in your oven with the oven light on or on top of the fridge. Just make sure you cover the starter with a cloth and rubber band to allow air in and out.

3. Feed regularly to build strength- keep on feeding daily until it passes the float test. Then you can store it in the fridge. I recommend feeding twice before baking.

4. Water- make sure water is just above room temperature. Too hot could denature and kill the starter and too cold will slow down the process. try going for a lukewarm temperature to allow fast and safe growth.

5. After mixing the ingredients. let it sit for 45min-1 hr. Stretch and fold 2x and then do coil and folds 2x with 30 min in between. Then let it bulk ferment for 4-8 hours depending on temperature. You can do multiple tests such as seeing if it has doubled in size, isn't sticky, bounces back, retains shape, etc.

6. Shape dough to create tension. This should allow a good oven spring.

7. Cover the sourdough with rice flour to prevent sticking and allow your designs to be evident!

8. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with dutch oven in for 30 minutes.

9. Add a few ice cubes to the preheated dutch oven to allow steam and put sourdough in.

10. Do a 6 minute expansion cut by baking the bread for 6 minutes, taking it out and creating a slightly deeper cut.

11. Bake for another 24 min with lid on and then 10-15 min with lid off.

12. Let it cool for 3 HOURS! This is very important so that your bread continues to bake internally and not be gummy.

Thank you for reading. Next time I will talk about troubleshooting some sourdough problems!