Finally got my sourdough starter to double in size after 3 weeks of feeding

I've been trying to get a sourdough starter going since the start of the year and it just kept giving up on me. Flat, no bubbles, smelled like nail polish remover. I was about to toss it last Tuesday but I talked to a baker down at the local farmers market who said I was probably using too much water. She told me to keep it stiff like a paste, not a batter. I switched to 100g flour and 70g water instead of 100g each and within two days it was doubling in about 8 hours. The crumb on my first loaf still came out a little dense but the taste was actually there. Anyone else struggle with hydration ratios when they first started?

2 comments

2 Comments

ray18917d ago

Three weeks? I killed my first starter so fast it didn't even get a name.

terrybennett17d ago

Eh, it's just flour and water.