How to make an active sourdough from a dry starter

Now that you have a dry starter, making an active sourdough is easy! Let’s make a batch for use in all those yummy sourdough recipes!

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What is an active starter? An active sourdough is a leavening agent used to make dough. It is the beginning of the ferment process that gives the sour in sourdough. An active starter is the ingredient that makes dough rise and easy to work with.

When you have a 100% hydrated starter and continuously feed it, you basically have a levain that is ready to add to your recipe. But, a single girl just can’t use all that every day, or even every few days! That’s why having a dry sourdough starter and making an active starter is a single girl’s best friend when it comes to baking with this delicious yeast!

Making an active starter from a dry sourdough is as simple as feeding a regular starter, but with a little more precision. That precision is all the difference between a good sourdough bread and a great one. Plus, there is no discard! Unless of course you want to make some. This recipe is using a dry starter and makes approximately 1 cup of active starter. You can double the recipe for larger starter requirements or for some extra “discard” to make other recipes.

Items needed

• digital scale like this one!
• nonreactive bowl
• dry sourdough starter
• flour
• warm water

How to make an active sourdough starter

Measure 30g of dry sourdough into a bowl.

Add 130g warm water and break up the starter in the liquid.

Then add 120g flour and combine until thoroughly mixed. It will look like a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl tightly and let sit 6-10 hours. I usually mix this up the night before I want to use it and let sit overnight on the counter.

The next morning, your mixture will be double in size and bubbly. It is active and ready to make something delicious!

How I use my active sourdough starter

• sourdough nut rolls
• sandwich bread
• whole wheat pitas
• english muffins

Let me know in the comments below how you use your active sourdough starter. Thanks for stopping by!

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How to make an active sourdough starter from dry sourdough starter

Now that you have a dry starter, making an active sourdough starter is easy! Let's make a batch for use in all those yummy sourdough recipes!

Prep Time9 minutes mins

resting time8 hours hrs

Total Time8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Keyword: active sourdough starter, sourdough levain

Yield: 1 heaping cup

Author: dani

Cost: $1

Equipment

• Digital scale
• Nonreactive bowl

Materials

• 30 grams dry sourdough starter
• 130 grams warm water
• 120 grams flour

Instructions

• Combine dry starter with warm water and stir until dissolves
• Add flour and stir until completely combined
• Cover and let sit at room temperature for 6-12 hours until bubbly and active

Notes

This recipe makes approximately one heaping cup of active starter. You can halve recipe for a half cup size.