What Consistency Should Sourdough Starter?

Ideally, sourdough starter should manipulate the consistency similar to warm peanut butter. When it's just been fed it should be quite thick, with no need to panic if it seems a little dry.

What Should my Sourdough Starter Look Like?

Your sourdough starter should appear very bubbly and slightly foamy at the surface. The scent is just as important as its appearance. It should release a pleasant yet acidic aroma which will bring forth the tangy flavor of the sourdough bread .

Is Sourdough Starter Supposed to be Sticky?

Sticky sourdough isn't really ideal to work with, but it is completely normal, and something that'll need getting used to if you're planning to eventually make great loaves of sourdough bread.

How to Make the Best Sourdough Starter Consistency for Perfect Bread

Ingredients

Scale

8–10 tbsp Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Spelt Flour
8–10 tbsp tepid water

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Instructions

On the first day, put one tablespoon of flour and one tablespoon of water into a 500ml glass bottle and mix them together.
Wet a clean tea towel, squeeze out the water and lay it over the bowl, leaving it in a warm place for about 12 hours.
After the 12 hours are over, add another tablespoon of flour and another of water, mix them together and cover with a damp tea towel, leaving it for another 12 hours.
On day two, or 24 hours after beginning your starter, stir in a third tablespoon of flour with a third spoon of water, stirring to mix then cover it again with the damp tea towel and leave it in a warm place for 12 hours.
For the second feed of day two, add a tablespoon of flour, and another with water, stir to mix then cover with a damp tea towel leaving it in a warm place for another 12 hours.
On the first feed of day three increase the feed by adding two tablespoons of flour and two of water then stir to mix. Re-dampen the tea towel if needed, cover the bowl and let it sit in a warm place for 12 hours.
On the second feed of day three, add two tablespoons of flour and another two of water. Combine and leave it to rest for 12 hours.
At this point your starter should become bubbly and ready to create your ferment. If the starter hasn’t started to show bubbles yet, don’t panic. Repeat the 12-hour flour and water feeding routine, ensuring that the starter is constantly kept in a warm place.

Author: Natasha Krajnc
Prep Time: 72 hrs