Sourdough Starter Rehydration

You’ll Need: 
Large Glass Jar or Mason Jar (at least 16 ounces)
Small bowl cover or plastic wrap + rubbing band
Silicone Spatula
1 tablespoon of dehydrated sourdough starter
2 tablespoons of warm water  (about 95°F)

Ingredients for the 2nd Step
1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup of warm water (about 95°F) (don't use too hot of water as it can kill the yeast)


Day 1
Instructions (Step 1)
In an a glass jar or mason jar, add 1 tablespoon of dry starter. Add in 2 tablespoons of warm water. Mix well with a silicone spatula. Cover the jar with a reusable bowl cover or use plastic wrap and snap a rubber band over it to keep it in place. Let this sit in a warm place for about 6 hours. I let mine sit in the microwave (just make sure to not accidentally turn on the microwave). For sourdough starter to stay active, it needs to be in warm temps. You can also place it in the oven with the oven light on (but make sure to not turn on the oven).

Step 2
Place 1/2 a cup of all-purpose flour (King Arthur unbleached recommended or bread flour). After adding the flour, add in 1/3 cup of warm water to the jar. Mix well with a silicone spatula. Cover the jar with a reusable bowl cover or use plastic wrap and snap a rubber band over it to keep it in place. Let this sit in a warm place for about 6-8 hours or until doubled in size. You can let it sit overnight as well. For sourdough starter to stay active, it needs to be in warm temps. Placing it in a warm place like the microwave (without turning on the microwave) will help it to stay active. 

Day 2
Remove about a tablespoon of starter (discard into the trash). Then repeat Step 2. Place 1/2 a cup of all-purpose flour (King Arthur unbleached recommended or bread flour). After adding the flour, add in 1/3 cup of warm water to the jar. Mix well with a silicone spatula. Cover the jar with a reusable bowl cover or use plastic wrap and snap a rubber band over it to keep it in place. Let this sit in a warm place for about 6-8 hours or until doubled in size. For sourdough starter to stay active, it needs to be in warm temps. Placing it in a warm place like the microwave (without turning on the microwave) will help it to stay active. Starter should be ready for use after the second feeding and 6-8 hour rise. The starter should not be too liquidy. If you find that it is it, start adding small amounts of flour (1 tsp at a time).
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Sourdough Bread Recipe

You’ll Need: 
1 1/2 cup of warm water
1/2 cup of active starter
3 1/4cups of bread flour
2 teaspoons of salt
Extra flour for shaping
Silicone Spatula or Dough Whisk
Bread Lame
Bread Machine or Stand Mixer (optional - faster process)
Dutch oven, baking pan or cooking sheet
Parchment paper

In a large bowl, add in the starter and warm water. Mix well with a silicone spatula. Add in the bread flour and salt. Mix and knead well. Shape into a ball. You may need to add flour to your hands to shape since dough can be sticky. You have several options, stretch in folds are nice for a fluffy bread but not necessary. If you choose to do multiple stretch and folds follow the stretch and fold instructions below. 

Stretch and Fold
Cover dough and let rest for at least 1 hour. Start your stretch and folds stretching all 4 corners and folding on top of each other. You'll repeat this every 30 minutes for 2 hours. After the last stretch and fold, shape the bread loaf and let it rest for at least 2-6 hours. For a larger loaf, you can let it proof closer to the 6 hour timeframe. You can let it rest in the oven with a light for quicker rise (don't turn on oven). . As long as you do one stretch and fold, the sourdough will still turn out. 

Skip the Stretch and Fold (using the dough setting on a bread machine or stand mixer)
Add the starter and warm water to the bread machine or stand mixer bowl. I recommend mixing well with a silicone spatula before turning on these tools. Add in the bread flour and salt. I do mix these with spatula as well before starting the bread machine or stand mixer. After mixing, turn on these tools. If you use the bread machine, it has kneading and rises. Make sure to use the dough setting, unless you are looking to bake a loaf in the bread machine then you can use the regular bread setting. If you use the stand mixer, use the dough hook and let the stand mixer knead your bread for about 15 minutes. After your dough is ready, take it out of the mixer or bread machine. It's easier to shape bread if you prepare a parchment sheet and dust it with flour. You can then add the bread ball to the parchment paper and shaper your loaf.  Let it rest for 2-3 hours, uncovered. For faster rising, let it sit in the oven with the oven light on. 

When you are ready to bake, add parchment paper to the dutch oven. Then add in your shaped loaf. Use a bread lame to score your bread. Preheat the oven to 450. You'll bake your bread covered with the dutch oven and top for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn your oven down to 425 and remove the top from the dutch oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.  I recommend adding a loaf pan or a baking pan that can tolerate the high heat with water in it. Place the water pan on the lower rack. The steam helps the dough rise and form a crispy crust. You'll leave this water pan in for the entire duration. After the bread is fully cooked, take it out of the oven and wait 1-2 hours before you slice the bread.