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                       Rehydration Method

 
Total time required: 5 - 7 days
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 What You’ll Need:
 
  • ​Dried sourdough starter (flakes or powder)
  • Unbleached all-purpose or bread flour - I personally like the Four Roses brand
  • Filtered or dechlorinated water (room temp) 
  • A clean glass jar or container (at least 500ml)
  • Cloth or loose lid
  • Measuring scale or spoons
  • A spoon or small spatula
 
Step-by-Step Rehydration:
 
Day 1​
  1. Place 1 tablespoon (about 5g) of dried starter into a jar.
    Tip: I like to ground it down in a mortal and pestle or coffee grinder.
  2. Add 30g (2 tbsp) of lukewarm (not hot) dechlorinated water to your jar and stir well
    until the flakes are mostly dissolved.
  3. Tip: Use dechlorinated water when feeding your sourdough starter to avoid
    harming the microbes.
  4. Let sit for a few minutes to soften
  5. Add 30g (2 tbsp) of flour and 30g of water. 
  6. Stir well and cover loosely with a lid or cloth and let sit at room
    temperature 21-24°C for 24 hours.
 
Day 2
You might start to see light bubbles today - this is a good sign :) 
  1. Discard half of the mixture. 
  2. Feed the starter by adding 30g flour + 30g dechlorinated water.
  3. Stir well, cover, and rest for another 24 hours.
 
Days 3 - 7
Each day, repeat the same quick process:
  1. Discard half of the mixture. 
  2. Add 30g flour + 30g dechlorinated water.
  3. Stir, cover, rest at room temp.
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Days 5 - 7, it should:
  • Smell pleasantly tangy or yeasty.
  • Double in size 4 - 6 hours after feeding.
    When it does this consistently, it’s ready to bake with!
​
Then name your starter; Doughleen, bubbles, to name a few and get baking!
​
NB: once your Starter is established, feed 1/3/2 to make a stiff starter, this makes the starter stronger and more
robust, you don't need exact measurements, just eyeball it, no need to change jars everyday, she will thrive.
When your not baking that week, place in the fridge freshly feed. Take out the night before baking and re-feed. 
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Basic Sourdough Bread Recipe​

 
Time Required
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Bulk Ferment: 4 - 6 hours (dont over do this step)
  • Proof (fridge): overnight (8 - 12 hours)
  • Bake: 45 - 50 minutes
  • Total: up to 19 hours
​
Ingredients
  • 500g (3 â…“ cups) Bread flour (or plain flour)
  • 350g (1½ cups) Water (room temp)
  • 100g (½ cup) Active sourdough starter
  • 10g (2 tsp) Salt
​
Instructions
1. Mix dough (Morning)
In a large bowl, mix flour, water, active starter and salt.
You want it to look like shaggy dough. Do not overmix.
Cover and rest for 30 to 60 minutes (autolyze).​
 
2. Bulk Fermentation (4 - 6 hours)
Every 30 - 45 minutes, do two stretch and folds and two coil folds to finish.
 Stretch and fold technique:
Grab one side, stretch it up, and fold it over. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3 more times for one round.
Coil fold technique :
Using two hands, pick the dough up from the middle with fingers underneath and fold it in under itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3 more times for one round.
 
Let the dough rise at room temp, covered.
Place the dough in a straight-sided container so you can monitor the rise. You are looking for a 25% increase to then move on to the Bulk ferment time frame can vary depending on how cold your room temperature is, the warmer the room the quicker the rise. Keep an eye on your dough. You don’t want it to over-ferment, proof the dough.
​
 Pre-shape and rest
Turn the dough onto a floured surface.
Gently shape into a ball, you're wanting to create tension here, roll it towards yourself gathering tension underneath and rest for 20 - 30 mins covered.
​
Final shape and proof
Shape the dough again taking out all the air bubbles, and place it into a proofing basket or bowl lined with a rice-floured or floured tea towel. Cover and refrigerate overnight. This is how your sourdough gets its amazing flavors.
 
Bake
(next morning) or night (It is usually safe to stay in the fridge up to 36 hrs).
Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.
Turn the dough onto the baking paper, score the top with a sharp knife or razor.
Place into the Dutch oven, with a few ice cubes underneath the baking paper, cover, and bake
Covered: 30 - 40 minutes, depending on your oven quality.
Uncovered: 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown, monitor so you don’t burn. everyone's oven is a little different.
 
Tips for Success
Your starter must be active (bubbly and doubled within 4 - 6 hours of feeding).
Don't rush fermentation - longer is better for flavor and texture.
Use a Dutch oven or lidded pot for a crispy crust.
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