Simple and Reliable Sourdough Starter Recipe:

This process will take about 5–7 days to develop a healthy starter.

Ingredients:

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Unbleached all-purpose flour (you can also use whole wheat for the first feeding to give it a boost)

Filtered water (avoid chlorinated water)

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Tools:

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A glass or plastic container (avoid metal)

A spoon or spatula for mixing

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1. Day 1:

   In your container, mix ½ cup of flour with ½ cup of water. Stir until all the flour is hydrated.

   Cover loosely with a lid or a cloth and leave it at room temperature (ideally around 68°F to 75°F).

2. Day 2:

   After 24 hours, discard half of the starter (about ½ cup).

   Add ½ cup of flour and ½ cup of water. Stir well.

   Cover again and leave at room temperature.

3. Days 3-7:

   Repeat the process from Day 2, feeding the starter every 24 hours. Discard half each time and feed with ½ cup of flour and ½ cup of water.

4. By Day 3 or 4, you should start to see some bubbling, which is a good sign.

5. Around Day 5 or 6, your starter should start to double in size after each feeding. When it doubles in about 4-6 hours after feeding, it’s ready to bake with.

6. Notes:

If you want to feed it twice a day, you can increase the frequency once you see bubbles forming, which helps speed up the process.

The smell should be pleasant and mildly tangy or fruity, not cheesy or like stinky feet. A strong off-smell might indicate bacterial contamination.

Troubleshooting:

Watery Starter: If your starter is too watery, you're feeding it too little flour. Try adjusting the ratio to equal parts by weight (50g flour and 50g water). Sourdough starter needs enough food (flour) to thrive.

Off Smells (feet or cheese): This might mean bad bacteria or yeast has taken over. You may need to start over. You can also remove most of the starter, keeping only a tablespoon, and give it a few strong feeds to see if it bounces back.