Sourdough

TIPS & RECIPES

Feed Just received your King Arthur starter?

Me! It’s hungry! Please feed within 24 hours.
 GETTING STARTED USING YOUR STARTER:
Your sourdough starter, a descendant of one that began its NEED HELP Your starter expands as it grows and becomes bubbly, so using a measuring cup is less accurate.
life decades ago, may look a little the worse for wear after its WITH YOUR For best results, we recommend weighing your starter. If you don’t have a scale, be sure to stir
SOURDOUGH?
trip. It may also have a sharp, astringent odor; this is normal. down your ripe starter before measuring.
What it needs is food and water. Be careful not to consume Call our Baker's Hotline 1. If your starter has been refrigerated, you’ll need to feed it before you use it in a recipe. Measure
raw starter yourself. at 855-371-2253. out 113g (about 1/2 cup) of starter (discard or store the rest; see step #3, below). Feed the
Find more info at: KingArthurBaking.com/guides/sourdough 113g starter with 113g (1/2 cup) water and 113g (1 scant cup) flour. Stir well and let it sit at room
temperature for 4 to 12 hours, until very bubbly and expanded in size.
FEEDING YOUR STARTER FOR THE FIRST TIME: 2. Repeat the process of measuring out 113g starter (discarding the rest) and feeding with 113g
The best way to maintain and bake with a starter is to measure starter, flour, and water by each flour and water every 12 hours, until the starter is very bubbly and has doubled in size within
weight, rather than volume. 6 to 8 hours of feeding. This may take only a single feeding or it may take multiple feedings,
1. Add 57g (1/4 cup) lukewarm water to the starter container, depending on how vigorous your starter is to begin with. Measure out the amount of starter
and stir to partially dissolve the starter and loosen it from called for in your recipe, then feed the remainder again before refrigerating.
the container. Place the starter/water in a large bowl; 3. Discard starter can be stored in the refrigerator; for best results, use it within a week or two.
save your sourdough crock for Step 2. Add 227g (1 cup) Discard starter is a great ingredient in pancakes, biscuits, crackers, English muffins, and a host of
lukewarm water and 241g (2 cups) King Arthur Unbleached other treats. Find sourdough discard recipes on our website.
All-Purpose Flour. Mix, then cover the bowl loosely with
plastic wrap, lid, or disposable shower cap, so the starter MAINTAINING YOUR SOURDOUGH STARTER:
doesn't dry out on top. Let sit at cool room temperature A maintenance feeding: 113g (1/2 cup) starter + 113g (1/2 cup) water + 113g (1 scant cup) flour
(about 68°F to 70°F) for 8 to 24 hours. The starter should
Refrigerator storage: Feed at least once a week using typical maintenance feeding amounts,
expand and start to become bubbly.
discarding all but the 113g you're feeding each time. Cover the starter and let it rest on the counter
2. Stir the starter and measure out 113g (about 1/2 cup) to until it starts bubbling (2 to 4 hours), before returning to the refrigerator.
feed. The remaining starter (called “discard”) can be thrown
Room-temperature storage: Feed every 12 hours (twice a day) using typical maintenance feeding
away or used in recipes calling for sourdough discard. To
amounts, discarding all but the 113g you’re feeding each time.
the 113g, add 113g (1/2 cup) water and 113g
(1 scant cup) flour. Stir well, cover, and let sit until the
starter bubbles and increases in volume, about 6 to 8 hours. GLOSSARY
Discard—the portion of starter disposed of when feeding a starter as part of its routine
3. Repeat feeding process from Step 2 until starter is ready to use (“ripe”). Once the starter is
maintenance. Use sourdough discard in pancakes, muffins, and other recipes as specified.
ready, if you don’t plan on baking with it right away refrigerate it in your sourdough crock or
similar food-safe storage container. Feeding—adding flour and water to a portion of the starter to maintain its balance of yeast
and bacteria.

WHAT A RIPE SOURDOUGH Naturally leavened—a term for sourdough bread that uses no commercial yeast.
STARTER LOOKS LIKE: Maintenance—the regimen used to sustain a sourdough starter for use in baking.
The more feedings you do, the more active Ripe—starter that has been fed at room temperature and allowed to rise to its highest point, or is
your starter will be and the better your just beginning to fall.
results. See images to the left of a hungry Sourdough starter—a culture of wild yeast and bacteria that, when properly maintained, leavens
(neglected) starter; a starter right after and flavors sourdough bread.
feeding, and a ripe starter. The time it takes
for your starter to become ripe may vary.
TIP FROM OUR BAKERS:
What makes the sour in sourdough bread? It's not the sourness of the starter itself, but rather
hungry starter starter after feeding ripe starter
the accumulation of organic acids (including lactic and acetic acids) created as the dough rises
and ferments. Refrigerating dough changes the balance of acetic acid production relative to
lactic, which affects the bread's flavor.

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 SOURDOUGH WAFFLES + PANCAKES SOURDOUGH PIZZA CRUST
Crisp, light waffles and tender, high-rising pancakes will both have delightful flavor when Think sourdough is an odd fit for pizza? Think again. We like the way it complements almost
made with sourdough starter. This batter, which uses your discard starter, works equally any pizza topping. This recipe is a great way to use your sourdough discard.
well for waffles or pancakes.
INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS 1 cup (227g) ripe or discard 1. Combine all the ingredients. Mix then knead the dough,
Overnight sponge 1. To make the overnight sponge, stir down your sourdough starter by hand, mixer, or bread machine, until smooth and
1 cup (227g) discard sourdough refrigerated starter, and measure out 1 cup. 1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm water slightly sticky. Let it rise in a lightly greased, covered
starter 2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 1 cup starter, 2 1/2 cups (298g) King Arthur container until just about doubled in bulk, 2 to 4 hours
2 cups (241g) King Arthur flour, sugar, and buttermilk. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour depending on whether you use ripe or discard starter.
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 3. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight. 1 teaspoon salt 2. Divide the dough in half and shape each into a flattened
2 tablespoons (28g) sugar 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast disk. Drizzle two pieces of parchment paper with olive
4. In a small bowl or mixing cup, beat together the eggs,
2 cups (454g) buttermilk oil. Place half the dough on each piece of parchment.
and oil or butter. Add to the overnight sponge. 4 teaspoons Pizza Dough Flavor,
Cover, and let rest for 15 minutes. Gently press the
Waffle or pancake batter 5. Add the salt and baking soda, stirring to combine. optional
dough into 12" circles, letting it rest for about 15 minutes
The batter will bubble. if it starts to shrink back.
All of the overnight sponge
6. Make waffles according to the iron manufacturer’s Yield: Two 12" thin-crust pizzas
2 large eggs 3. Cover the circles, and let the dough rise until it’s the
instructions. For pancakes, pour batter by the thickness you like, about an hour with ripe starter.
1/4 cup (50g) vegetable oil or
1/4-cupful onto a heated, greased griddle; cook as
melted butter (57g) 4. Toward the end of the rising time, position a baking steel
you normally would.
3/4 teaspoon salt or stone (if you have one) in the center of your oven.
7. Serve immediately; or keep warm in a 200°F oven Preheat the oven to 450°F.
1 teaspoon baking soda
until ready to serve.
5. Transfer the dough circles to the hot steel or stone (or a
Yield: 1 dozen 8" waffles or about 2
baking sheet), and bake for 4 to 5 minutes. Add half of
dozen medium pancakes the toppings of your choice to each of the circles then
bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Remove the pizzas from the oven. Cool on a rack to help
keep the bottoms crisp.

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 NATURALLY LEAVENED SOURDOUGH BREAD TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR STARTER
This bread, with its deep brown crust, rich, deep flavor, and mild tang, relies on ripe, active Reviving a hungry starter:
starter for its rise. Without the addition of commercial yeast, it’s a true purist's loaf. For
If your sourdough starter sits in the refrigerator for a long time without being fed, it may look quite
beginning sourdough bread bakers, we recommend starting with the Rustic Sourdough
lifeless and develop a layer of liquid on top. If this happens, stir the liquid back into the starter and
Bread recipe (see back cover).
discard all but 113g (1/2 cup). Feed with 113g (1/2 cup) water and 113g (1 scant cup) flour. The starter
will probably begin to bubble within 12 hours, even if minimally. Once this happens, measure out
INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS 113g (1/2 cup) and feed once again with 113g each water and flour. The starter should develop more
2 cups (454g) ripe sourdough 1. Combine the starter, flours, and water in a large bowl bubbles and expand, again within 12 hours. Continue feeding your starter every 12 hours until it’s
starter, stirred down and mix well, until all of the flour is moistened and the healthy again: very bubbly and at least doubled in size between 6 and 8 hours after feeding.
5 cups (602g) King Arthur dough has formed a cohesive mass. Add extra water or
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour flour if needed to form a soft, tacky dough. Increasing your starter:
3/4 cup (85g) King Arthur Premium 2. Cover the dough and let rest for 20 minutes. To build a larger quantity of starter, simply increase the amount of flour and water you add at each
100% Whole Wheat Flour feeding, being sure to keep the flour and water in the same ratio. This should allow you to make
3. After the rest, add the salt and knead the dough until
1 3/4 cups (397g) room-temperature enough for a large recipe with some left over to feed and maintain. For example, the last feeding
it’s smooth and supple, though still somewhat soft and
water before you bake, save 227g (1 cup) sourdough starter, and feed it 227g (1 cup) of water and 227g
tacky. When fully kneaded, place dough back in bowl,
(2 scant cups) of flour.
2 1/2 teaspoons salt cover, and let rise for 1 hour.
4. Give the dough a fold: Turn it out onto a floured surface When to start over:
Yield: 2 loaves and, using a bowl scraper or bench knife, fold like a If your sourdough starter begins to mold, or the odor is not the usual clean, sour aroma (an alcohol
business letter. Turn the dough 90 degrees. Gently smell is OK), or if it develops a pink or orange color, throw it out. It’s very rare for this to
flatten it, and repeat the letter fold. Return dough to the happen, so don’t worry.
bowl, cover, and let rise for another hour.
5. At the end of the rise, turn the dough out onto a lightly
floured surface and divide it in half. Gently shape into
two rounds, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes. Find more sourdough recipes at KingArthurBaking.com/recipes
6. After this rest, shape the loaves into rounds or ovals,
and place them seam-side up in bowls lined with floured
cloth, or on a cloth couche. Cover and let rise until light
and airy, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
7. About 60 minutes before the bread is ready to bake,
preheat the oven with a baking stone in it (if you have
a stone) to 450°F. Place empty cast iron frying pan on
oven rack below the stone to preheat.
8. When the loaves are risen, gently turn them out of their
bowls onto parchment, slash them with a sharp knife or
lame, and slide the parchment directly onto the stone in
the oven. If you’re not using a stone, turn them out onto
a parchment-lined (or lightly greased) baking sheet,
slash them, and place the baking sheet in the oven. Pour
1 cup of boiling water into the cast iron frying pan. Be
sure to wear good oven mitts to prevent steam burns.
9. Bake until bread is crusty and golden, about 35 to
40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

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 RUSTIC SOURDOUGH BREAD
This full flavored, mildly sour bread is a good introduction to sourdough because of the added
security that yeast provides. We love this bread for its chewiness and golden crust, ideal
qualities for panini; try it with ham and cheese, for a new take on that favorite sandwich.

INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS
1 cup (227g) ripe sourdough starter, 1. Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a
stirred down smooth dough.
1 1/2 cups (340g) lukewarm water 2. Allow the dough to rise in a covered bowl until it’s
1 teaspoon instant yeast doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
2 1/2 teaspoons salt 3. Gently divide the dough in half; it’ll deflate somewhat.
5 cups (602g) King Arthur 4. Gently shape the dough into two oval loaves; or, for
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour longer loaves, two 10" to 11" logs. Place the loaves on a
lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover
Yield: 2 loaves and let rise until very puffy, about 1 hour. Toward the end
of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
5. Spray the loaves with lukewarm water and dust
generously with flour.
6. Make two fairly deep diagonal slices in each. Use firm,
quick motions; a sharp knife or lame works well here.
7. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it’s a very
deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool
on a rack.

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