The Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Baking at Home

You've seen them on your social media feeds; gorgeous, golden-brown loaves of bread with an artfully scored crust and a beautiful, airy interior. It's sourdough, and it looks like the pinnacle of home baking.

But if you've ever considered trying it yourself, you've probably also felt a wave of intimidation. Starters, feeding schedules, strange terminology...it can all seem more like a complex science experiment rather than a relaxing hobby. 

But what if we told you it's simpler than you think? What if the journey to that perfect loaf was not only achievable but also incredibly rewarding? 

In this guide, we're going to answer the most common questions and bust the myths that hold people back from discovering the joy of baking sourdough at home. 

What even is sourdough? Why is it different from regular bread? 

At its core, sourdough is naturally leavened bread. While most commercial breads use fast-acting baker's yeast to rise, sourdough uses a 'starter' - a living culture of wild yeast and friendly bacteria that have been captured from the environment. This natural fermentation process is slower, which is what develops the wonderfully complex flavour, the slightly tangy aroma, and the chewy texture that makes sourdough so unique. It's also often easier to digest than standard bread, thanks to the work these little microbes do to break down the flour. 

Is it really as hard as it looks? 

Honestly? No. Sourdough isn't hard, but it does require patience and a little bit of understanding. The internet is filled with perfectionist bakers creating flawless loaves, which can be intimidating. The key is to let go of perfection for your first few bakes. Your first loaf might not look like the ones on Instagram, and that is completely okay! The process is very forgiving. Think of it less as a rigid set of rules and more like learning a new dance. It takes a little practice to get the rhythm, but soon it becomes second nature. 

What equipment do I really need to get started? 

While there are plenty of tools available to improve your sourdough baking, you can get started with things you likely already have in your kitchen. The absolute essentials are: 

• A large bowl: For mixing your dough
• A kitchen scale: This is the one non-negotiable. Baking is about precision, and measuring flour by weight (grams) is far more accurate than using cups. 
• A jar for your starter: Any clean glass jar will do
• A good quality Bread Oven: Baking in a covered pre-heated pot traps steam, which is the secret to getting that amazing oven spring (the initial rise) and a crispy, crackly crust. We've tested LOTS of different of different bread ovens over the years, and have honestly found none better than the Crumble Bread Oven. It's a reliable, quality oven that produces consistently great results (not to mention the gorgeous range of colours, too!)

The Starter: What is this 'living thing' everyone talks about? 

The starter is the heart and soul of your bread. It's a simple mixture of flour and water that, when left at room temperature, captures wild yeasts and bacteria from the air and the four itself. By 'feeding' it with fresh flour and water regularly, you create a stable, bubbling ecosystem that will continue to live and grow for as long as you care for it. When this active starter is mixed into your bread dough, it's these wild yeasts that do the work of making the dough rise. 

Can I make my own sourdough starter from scratch? 

It certainly is possible, but be warned - making your own sourdough starter can be a long process that involves a lot of patience, and usually some trial & error. Here's a basic day-by-day guide:

• Day 1: In your jar, mix 60g (half a cup) of whole wheat flour with 60g (a quarter cup) of warm water. Stir until it's the consistency of thick paste. Cover loosely (don't seal it tight) and leave it on your counter. 
• Day 2: You might not see much action. That's normal, leave it be. 
• Day 3: It's time for the first feed! Discard about half of the mixture. To what's left, add another 60g of whole wheat flour and 60g of warm water. Mix well, cover and set aside. 
• Day 4-6: Now you'll start feeding it every 12-24 hours. Each time, discard about 80% of the starter, and feed the remainder with equal parts all-purpose or bread flour and water (e.g. 50g starter, 50g flour, 50g water) you should start to see bubbles, and it will begin to rise and fall predictably. 
  
• Day 7-10: Your starter is ready when it's active, bubbly, smells pleasantly yeasty (not sour), and doubles in size within 6-8 hours of a feed. 

I'm too busy for that! Is there an easier way to get starter? 

Yes! If you don't have time for the 10-day (possibly hit-and-miss) process of creating starter, or if you just want to guarantee you're starting with a strong, reliable culture from day one, there is a super easy alternative: you can buy ready-to-go Sourdough Starter kits from us at Sourdough Starter! Our starter kits come with a freeze-dried culture that comes to life in just minutes, when you stir in a little flour or water. We've helped over 15,000 Aussie bakers start their sourdough journey with our kits, which include step-by -step guides, and access to a library of fabulous sourdough recipes created just for us by some of Australia's best bakers. 

It's a fantastic shortcut that removes all the guesswork and gets you to the fun part faster. Plus, if you use the code CRUMBLE at checkout you'll score a cheeky 10% Off. 

How often do I have to 'feed' my starter? Is it like a pet? 

Well, yes - sort of, but it's more like a low-maintenance pet! If you plan on baking frequently (a few times a week), you can leave your starter on the counter and feed it once a day. If you only bake once a week or even less, you can keep your starter in the fridge. This puts it into a dormant state, and you only need to feed it once a week to keep it healthy. When you're ready to bake, take it out, give it a couple of feeds at room temperature to wake it up, and you're good to go. 

My first loaf was a frisbee! What did I do wrong? 

Welcome to the (bread) club! Almost every sourdough baker has made a flat, dense loaf at some point so don't be discouraged! It's all part of the learning curve. The most common culprit is fermentation time. 'Proofing' is the final rise of the dough before baking. If you under-proof it, the yeast hasn't had time to create enough gas to lift the loaf. If you over-proof it, the gluten structure weakens and the dough collapses in the oven. Learning to read the dough just takes a little practice - you'll find that you get a little better with each loaf that you bake. 

Your journey into the sourdough doesn't have to be perfect. It's about connecting with your food, learning a new skill, and the immense satisfaction of puling a beautiful, delicious loaf made with just flour, water, salt and a little bit of your time out of your very own oven. So go on, give it a try. You might just surprise yourself!