· 60 grams whole wheat flower (niflaot recommended)
· All purpose flour
· Bottled water
· Food Scale
· Container
· Cheesecloth or Towel
Pro Tip: Whole wheat flour is often used at the start because it contains more natural yeast and nutrients, helping your starter become active more quickly. You can also use all-purpose if that’s all you have on hand. Once your starter is established, you can switch to all-purpose flour for regular feedings.
Combine 60 grams of whole wheat flour with an equal amount of water in the container you will be storing your starter in, and thoroughly mix. Cover the container with a cheesecloth and towel, and leave it out at room temperature (at least 70 degrees) for 24 hours.
Discard half the starter. Measure how much you have left, and add that same amount of each, white flour and water. (for example, if you have 50g starter, add 50g flour and 50g water.) Combine and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
You may see a liquid form on top of your starter. This is known as "hooch". Just pour it off before feeding your starter.
Your starter may be developing a smell, which is normal. Once a day, discard half of your starter, and add equal amounts of flour and water. You may also be seeing some bubbles, as your starter starts to come alive.
Keep on discarding and adding to your starter. The smell should be improving.
Here's what you'll see when your starter is ready to use:
Slightly sweet and fermented smell
Starter doubles in volume
Bubbles, almost a sponge-like appearance
If you want to make sure your starter is ready to use, drop a spoonful into a bowl of water. Healthy starter will float on the surface.
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