How to Convert Any Recipe To Sourdough | With Conversions (2024)

FAQs

What to do if you don't have enough sourdough starter? ›

What if I do not have enough sourdough starter for my recipe? If you need more starter than you currently have, just keep building it up by not removing any starter prior to feeding and feed the starter an equal 1:1:1 ratio until you have the amount you need. It builds quite quickly.

How much sourdough starter equals a packet of yeast? As a general rule, 100g of sourdough starter can be used to replace one packet of yeast (a packet usually contains 5-7g of commercial yeast).

If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.

However, this cost does not include feeding your sourdough starter, your time or labor or the cost of electricity of equipment. So if you look solely at the ingredients, it is cheaper to make your own sourdough. But if you bring other factors into it - it might not be as cheap.

There is no single best ratio, but I've found a ratio of 1:5:5 fed twice daily at 12-hour intervals to produce a sourdough starter that's strong and healthy. This ratio corresponds to 20% ripe starter carryover, 100% water, and 100% flour (a mix of whole grain rye and white flour) at each feeding.

But what if you're craving that distinctive tang and don't have a sourdough starter on hand? Enter yogurt — the unexpected substitute that can give your bread that familiar zing while creating a unique twist on the classic.

Feed the Starter.

Now, you're going to feed what's left in the jar with equal parts flour & water by weight. I follow the sourdough feeding ratio of 1:1:1 (sourdough starter: flour: water). So, let's continue with our example: You had 120 g of starter and removed half. You now have 60 g of sourdough starter in the jar.

Adding yeast to a sourdough will also increase the rate of fermentation in the dough, relative to one without it. This can be especially useful in a bakery, where timing is everything.

How many teaspoons are in a packet of yeast? One packet of yeast contains about 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast. That is 7 grams or 1/4 ounce by weight.

High Temperatures - preheating your oven with your sourdough starter inside can lead to your starter's demise - but it would have to be completely baked for it to be completely unresponsive to some TLC.

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time? ›

Although you need an active, well-maintained starter for certain artisan breads, you can still make tasty bread with a sluggish, slow starter so you don't have to discard sourdough starter daily. In fact, many of my favorite sourdough bread recipes use discard for flavoring to give bread that classic tang.

A warm starter will rise quickly, but it can also collapse quickly because the gluten content breaks down more quickly in warm temperatures. What temperature will kill my starter? If your starter reaches a temperature of 130F/54C, the yeast cells will die off.

Can You substitute Bread Flour for All Purpose in Sourdough? Yes, but it's not always an even swap. Flour is a like a sponge. And because all purpose flour absorbs less water than bread flour, you'll need to reduce the total amount of water in a recipe that specifically calls for bread flour.

According to some studies, sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, which means that the fiber in the bread helps feed the “good” bacteria in your intestines. These bacteria are important for maintaining a stable, healthy digestive system. Sourdough is also lower in gluten than other forms of bread.

Sourdough's Health Benefits

Sourdough's long fermentation and rising time leads to changes in the bread that don't occur in conventional yeast-leavened bread. These changes may have health benefits for some people, especially those with certain digestive issues.

Scoop out 30g of that starter into a fresh, clean jar, add 30g of flour and 30g of water. Stir it up and keep it warm. Your starter will likely recover in a day or two.

GENERAL RULE: The less starter you use, the slower your dough will ferment - often resulting in a more sour flavored loaf. And you guessed it..the more starter you use, the faster your dough will ferment - resulting in a less sour loaf. Using less starter in your recipe will help slow down the fermentation process.

Take ¼ cup sourdough starter from the refrigerator and add ½ cup flour, and ¼ cup water to a clean glass jar with a loose fitting lid. Give it a stir. Feed the sourdough this way every 12 hours until it is bubbly and active, then it is ready to use.

Making a small sourdough starter is really quite easy, it's just a case of reducing the amounts of flour and water you use to something you're more comfortable with. I generally suggest using 50 grams of flour and 50 grams of water to create a sourdough starter, however, this can be too much for some home bakers.