{"id":6209,"date":"2016-02-28T01:33:47","date_gmt":"2016-02-28T00:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.roadtopastry.com\/blog\/?p=6209"},"modified":"2016-02-28T01:50:05","modified_gmt":"2016-02-28T00:50:05","slug":"how-to-make-and-use-the-sourdough-starter-chef","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roadtopastry.com\/blog\/recipes\/how-to-make-and-use-the-sourdough-starter-chef","title":{"rendered":"How to make and use the sourdough starter (Chef)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watch out, long, technical post ahead! But totally worth a read: I tried to summarize here everything that I’ve learnt so far on the legendary sourdough starter, also called “chef” (or “levain” in French). So let’s start…<\/p>\n

In a nutshell<\/h4>\n

The sourdough starter is a home made, all-natural equivalent of yeast<\/a>. Except it is much better, because it can provide a better aroma, a longer shelf life and a stronger\u00a0rise in baked goods.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is the sourdough starter?<\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. It is a dough<\/strong>, simply made of flour and water<\/li>\n
  2. It is sour<\/strong>, so its pH is acid.<\/li>\n
  3. With time, it develops a balanced, stable culture of\u00a0bacteria (lactobacilli) which produce\u00a0lactic acid, fundamental to\u00a0start a fermentation<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A sourdough starter is therefore used to leaven doughs and, exactly like yeast, it is\u00a0alive<\/strong>: this means that it can starve and die, so once you make your own sourdough, you need to “feed” it regularly. Like a pet.<\/p>\n

    To feed it, or said more properly “refresh it”, you just need to replace a part of the sourdough with new\u00a0flour and water. To keep the sourdough alive, you must perform a\u00a0refreshment at least once a week. For some this\u00a0might be a big effort, so think wisely before embarking for this “adventure” (but trust me, it’s totally worth it!).<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a>

    A fully-risen sourdough – Look at how deliciously bubbly it is!<\/p><\/div>\n

    How to make the sourdough starter<\/h4>\n
      \n
    1. Make a dough with flour and water (detailed recipe below)<\/li>\n
    2. Leave it covered with plastic wrap for 24-48 hours at room temperature until it doubles in size (yes it will!)<\/li>\n
    3. Proceed with the first refreshment: get a part of the sourdough and mix it with more water and flour<\/li>\n
    4. Same as step 2, for 24 hours<\/li>\n
    5. Repeat this procedure every day for 2 weeks: at this stage, the sourdough should be able to triple in size in around 4 hours<\/li>\n
    6. Now when the sourdough has tripled in size, you can store it in the fridge in a glass container for maximum 7-8 days<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      A good (active) sourdough has a pale grey color\u00a0and despite its name, it should have a fresh yeasty smell (sometimes a bit astringent but not too much).<\/p>\n

      It is normal if the smell is not very pleasant in the early stages, but after the first two weeks it definitely should NOT smell awful, nor like acetone, nor like alcohol.<\/p>\n

      \"Recipe-Sourdough<\/a><\/p>\n

      How to keep the sourdough alive<\/h4>\n

      Refreshments are fundamental to keep the sourdough alive\u00a0and you need to perform them:<\/p>\n