This week, we’ve received quite a few messages about needing to make sourdough at home because it’s almost impossible to find yeast at the supermarket. That’s why we’re dedicating ourselves to this theme on Instagram. How to make sourdough at home.
Sourdough from yogurt
We need to start with an acidic base, because acidic pH levels allow for fermentation and prevents the formation of other pathogens (i.e. mold). So – let's start with yogurt. All-natural plain white yogurt – with no added sugar or flavoring. Add 2 tablespoons of the yogurt to 2 tablespoons flour and half a teaspoon of sugar or honey. The consistency should be similar to a slightly liquid batter – so if it seems too thick, add a couple tablespoons of water at room temperature. Mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, poking a few holes on top – to allow oxygen to pass through. Let it rest. The next day, a little liquid will have separated on top. Add a tablespoon of flour and stir well (to feed it). Repeat this last step every day.
So the fermentation begins…
Let the mixture rest at room temperature. Between 70 and 78 °F. Keep it covered and away from temperature changes, windows or radiators. How many days does it take to ferment? This obviously depends on several factors: the yogurt used, the flour, the temperature. Most likely, we’d say you’ll have your mother yeast sourdough starter in about 3-4 days. You will notice this because the starter should have started to form bubbles, demonstrating the presence of carbon dioxide (and thus fermentation).
Feeding the mother yeast starter
By now you can already use your sourdough starter to bake bread. How does it work? Take one section of the mother to bake bread and keep the other section that you will continue to feed over time. What does feeding mean? It means giving your yeast the nutrients it needs to stay “alive.”
How do you feed your starter?
In a bowl (or jar) containing your mother yeast sourdough starter, leave just 4 oz of the starter and add 4 oz flour and 2 oz water. Mix well to feed. What is "left over" is your sourdough that you can use to make bread, focaccia or even pizza! For 1 kg flour, we will use 4 oz sourdough. The proportion is always the following: Yeast = 11% of the weight of the flour.
How often should I feed my starter?
If you bake every day, you can keep your sourdough outside of the fridge and feed it every day. If you want to bake once a week, you should keep it in the refrigerator; when you need it, take it out and be sure to keep it outside of the refrigerator (at room temperature) for 4-5 hours before feeding and baking.