Is my sourdough starter ready to bake with? Whether you are new to maintaining a sourdough starter, or you’ve done it all for many years, you’ve probably asked the previous question. Once you get the hang of caring for a starter and baking with sourdough, it will all begin to come more natural to you. For now, continue reading this post to answer the, “is my sourdough ready for baking?” question by using 3 different tips.
I’ve created many resources on sourdough: Frequently Asked Questions About Sourdough, How & Why to Put a Sourdough Starter in the Fridge, Maintaining and Feeding a Sourdough Starter, What is Hooch? | Sourdough Lessons, and more! I hope these resources will aid you as you grow more and more confident in caring for and using a sourdough starter.
You’ve created a sourdough starter and now it’s time to put it to use. But you’re asking, “Is my sourdough ready for baking?” In this blog post, we’ll discuss three easy and quick ways to know that your starter is ready for baking. No more guessing! Soon you’ll know your starter is ready just by looking at it, but for now it’s very helpful to have these three tips to fall back on. Find even more sourdough resources at the very end of this post!
How to Know My Sourdough is Ready for Baking
When determining if your sourdough is ready to bake with, remember these three things:
1) Bubbly Sourdough is Ready for Baking
As your sourdough starter ripens, you’ll begin to notice more bubbles each day, as well as a strong sour smell. You may also see a clear liquid forming on the top. When you feed your starter, you’ll hear a crackly sound as the bubbles pop with mixing.
2) A Doubled Sourdough is Ready for Baking
An active sourdough starter can quickly double its volume. If you note that the volume has doubled four hours after feeding it, your starter should be ready for baking. To test this, place a piece of tape to mark your starter’s volume and then check back four hours after feeding it.
3) Sourdough that Floats is Ready for Baking
Place about a teaspoon of the starter into a cup of warm water. If it floats, it should be ready for baking. Even if your starter doesn’t float, it could still be ready; go by the volume test to be sure.
Have More Sourdough Questions?
Why Is A Long Fermentation Time Healthier?
Fermentation allows the sourdough to break down the flour and make the crackers easier on the digestive system. You can read more details about this amazing process here.
How Can I Make My Own Sourdough Starter?
Interested in implementing sourdough into your kitchen? Here’s everything you need to know to get your sourdough starter going.All it takes is flour, water, and about 7 days time.I also answer a few of the most frequently asked questions about sourdough over here.
How is Sourdough Healthier than Regular Bread?
Read more in depth about the health benefits of sourdough here. I explain four reasons that sourdough is one of the healthiest breads you can consume, as well as describe how the fermentation process of sourdough works.
More on Posts on Sourdough
- What is Hooch? | Sourdough Lessons
- Maintaining and Feeding a Sourdough Starter
- 5 Favorite Ways to Use Sourdough Discard
- How & Why to Put a Sourdough Starter in the Fridge
- How to Start a Sourdough Starter
- Frequently Asked Questions About Sourdough