Ingredients:

1. Strong White Bread Flour
2. Water

Equipment:

1. Clean glass jar (jam jar or similar)
2. Spatula
3. Weighing scales
4. Elastic band

Method:

Day 1: In a clear jar add 25g White Bread Flour and 25g (ml) of water. Mix well using the spatula so there are no lumps. Place the lid on loosely and keep somewhere warm (such as near the boiler) for 24 hours.

Day 2: To yesterday’s mix, add a further 25g of White Bread Flour and 25g of water and mix well. Again, leave somewhere warm with loose fitting lid.

Day 3: Take 10g (i.e. discard 90%) of your starter mix and add 25g White Bread Flour and 25g of water. Mark on the jar using an elastic band or marker where the mix comes to in order to record growth and leave for 24 hours.

Day 4: Take 20g of your starter mix and add 20g of White Bread Flour and 20g Water. We have a ratio of 1:1:1 Starter:Flour:Water. Discard the rest. If your starter is bubbly, active and growing your starter is now ready to be used in recipes. If not continue as below.

Day 5 & Onwards: Repeat the steps at day 4. If you are not using it regularly, the starter can be stored in the fridge and fed as per day 4 every 7 days to minimise waste.

Notes and tips:

Your starter is alive and needs to eat and breathe. If you notice your starter is very active and bubbly you need to feed it more. You might see some liquid on the top of the starter, this is a sign it is very hungry. Feed the starter extra flour and water, and discard a larger proportion. If after 3 days you are not seeing any bubbles in your starter you probably need to leave it somewhere warmer.

Ideally you want to see your starter double in size over a 24 hour period.

To make life easier for feeding, make a note of your jars empty weight before you start. This way you can keep the starter mix in the jar to weigh it each day.
You will accumulate starter discard. You can use this in lots of different recipes such as pancakes, crumpets, muffins or brownies. Pop it in the fridge in a jar and use when required.