This is a page to help you to make the best use of this website. Think of it as a choose your own adventure launching pad.
Making + Keeping A Sourdough Starter
- Making a starter from scratch - It's not as complicated as the internet makes it out to be!
- Sourdough feeding ratios - This was the key to me being able to live my ideal, laid-back sourdough lifestyle.
- Store your starter longer-term by freezing or dehydrating it.
Recipes
- All of the sourdough-leavened, slow-fermented recipes can be found here. These are traditional sourdough recipes that use just the sourdough starter (with no added yeast or baking soda/powder).
- Sourdough starter discard recipes are here. Use your extra sourdough starter to make all manner of baked goods - it imparts so much good sourdough flavor, and is a whole lot more fun than throwing it out!
Honorable Mentions
Here are some favorites I highly recommend you try!
- My favorite recipe for a basic sourdough loaf. If you're new to making sourdough, this is a great recipe for beginners - all of the steps for making a sourdough boule are covered.
- Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies. My kids would never forgive me if I didn't put these cookies on this list.
- The Best Cinnamon Rolls You've Ever Had. No, seriously. They're the best!
- Sourdough Discard Pancakes. The only pancakes I make! Puffy, buttery, and the sourdough tang combined with a dousing of maple syrup is perfection.
Techniques for Better Bread
These are not necessary for delicious bread, but if you want to experiment to get the best you can, here are some tried and true ways to do it. Do as many or as few of these as your life + obligations allow!
- Doing an autolyse - Basically, letting the flour hydrate in the liquid before adding other ingredients. It's a totally hands-off step. This post has all the details!
- Stretch and folds - A typical way to build gluten in sourdough breads, and a step that's well worth the extra effort if you can swing it! This post details how to do it.
- A long, cold ferment - Do you love sourdough that's sour? Do your second rise (after shaping) in the fridge. This will also make it easier to score and tends to produce a better oven spring.
Using this Site
Have a question or comment? Leave it in the comment section of the post it relates to. I am very active in the comments and try my best to respond within the same day.
If you have a suggestion that would help other readers, please leave that in a comment as well! I love to see fellow sourdough bakers looking out for one another 🙂
Happy Baking!