{"id":7907,"date":"2018-08-16T16:42:47","date_gmt":"2018-08-16T14:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biancolievito.wpengine.com\/?p=7907"},"modified":"2025-08-29T15:01:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T13:01:19","slug":"how-to-use-sourdough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biancolievito.it\/en\/come-usare-il-lievito-madre\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Guide: How to Use Sourdough Starter at Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sourdough<\/a> is an excellent ingredient for the unique aromas and flavors it gives bakery products. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, the main “drawback” when preparing a recipe using Sourdough is that we cannot use it as it is. On the contrary, we must do some elementary steps to “prepare” and reinforce our starter correctly<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we will see how to do it together!<\/span><\/p>\n

Which starter fits your recipe and schedule? See the practical comparison<\/a> of sourdough, yeast, Levain, and Biga.<\/p>\n\n

HOW TO USE SOURDOUGH<\/h2>\n

Before its use, the Sourdough starter<\/a> must be fed at least 2\/3 times<\/strong> to stabilize its microflora and balance its acidity. The difference between the second and third refreshments is the better shelf-life<\/strong> of the baked product. <\/span><\/p>\n

Regarding “strength,” nothing changes when we do a third refreshment. In general, for simple doughs (low in fat and sugar) such as bread and pizza<\/a>, I suggest feeding the starter 2 times. In contrast, you can do 2 refreshments for sweet doughs like Croissants<\/a> and Brioches and 3 refreshments for more complex leavened products (Panettone,<\/a> Pandoro<\/a>). This can be a general rule, but I often make Panettone using a ripe starter on the second refreshment, and I don’t face any problems with that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When you want to use Sourdough, the first important thing is to ensure the starter is healthy (here, you can learn how to better face the most common issues with Sourdough) and its acidity is well balanced.<\/p>\n

In my experience, fixing any issue related to acidity is mandatory before feeding the Sourdough<\/strong>. For this reason, it is crucial to read the principal signals the Sourdough gives us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

HOW TO USE SOURDOUGH STORED IN WATER<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you store your Sourdough in water, the first step is to soak it at 38\u00b0C (100\u00b0F) in water, adding 2 gr of sugar or fructose\/liter,\u00a0for 15-20 minutes<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

After this time, you can feed your Sourdough using the following proportions:<\/span><\/p>\n