Sourdough Is Not a Flavor: Naturally Leavened Bread, Simplified

Sourdough is not a Flavor: Naturally Leavened Bread, Simplified Low-maintenance sourdough starter (levain)

Tips  Use spring water if possible. Avoid chlorinated water.  Use organic, stone-ground flour for activating your starter.  Rye flour is added on the first day, as it ferments quickly and has more enzymes and minerals than wheat flour, helping to get a new culture off to a strong start.

You will need:  A medium-sized mixing bowl  A 1-quart clear container, with a lid. I like the dough storage containers from King Arthur Flour, which come in several sizes.

Day 1  Pour into bowl: 1/3 cup (75g) spring water, tepid  Stir in 1/3 cup (50g) organic unbleached stone-ground bread or all-purpose flour AND 1/3 cup (50g) organic stone-ground fine rye flour. Dough will be tacky.  Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day 2  Culture will look much the same as on Day 1, although it may have risen slightly.  Add 2 tablespoons (30g) tepid spring water, 1/3 cup (50g) organic unbleached stone-ground bread or all-purpose flour AND 1 tablespoon (5g) organic stone-ground whole wheat flour.  Stir to blend. If needed, knead briefly to incorporate all the flour.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day 3  Culture will have expanded 1-1/2 to 2 times its original volume. You should see bubbles forming below the surface, and the smell will be slightly yeasty and fruity.  Repeat feeding steps of Day 2, cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day 4 and on  Levain may be ready to use any time in the next few days. When it's ready, you will observe most or all of the following: 1. Surface of culture looks dimpled or bubbly and may rise to a dome 2. Smells like ripe, slightly sour fruit and tastes tangy, like citrus fruit 3. Cutting through with a paring knife shows air pockets trapped by gluten strands  If it doesn't already look like this, simply repeat Day 3 steps until it does.  Transfer levain to 1-qt container and put on lid.  Store levain in refrigerator and refresh once a week by following Day 2 steps. I take out some of the levain and put it in a separate container to use for baking. Then I add flour and water to the original container, let it sit at room temperature for an hour, then refrigerate again.

Victoria Redhed Miller, author of the award-winning Craft Distilling: Making Liquor Legally at Home Website: victoriaredhedmiller.com Facebook: Victoria Redhed Miller Twitter: @offgridwriter