I am absolutely thrilled that you are taking this exciting step toward baking your own incredible sourdough at home. Sourdough is so much more than just dehydrated flour. It’s a healthier alternative for breads and other yeast-based products. Personally, it’s my favorite choice of bread anyways.
If you’ve purchased from Heaven Kneads, first, THANK YOU. Secondly, our 20-gram jar of dehydrated sourdough starter comes from that very same centuries-old culture I began with. As many know, I grew up in an Italian/Sicilian culture and developed a love for baking. I started my sourdough journey to find healthier bread alternatives while I was figuring out my autoimmune issues. When I decided to cut out processed foods, I was overwhelmed. I realized I couldn’t buy a single bread item on the grocery shelves. A few years later, my “diet” grew into a full microbakery. Heaven Kneads officially opened its doors in January 2024 in Panama City, Florida. This wasn’t just a business launch for me. It was the culmination of a long-held dream. I aimed to provide our community with delicious, satisfying, and, most importantly, sugar-free treats and artisan breads without additives. When I began dehydrating my starter, I realized I could reach more than just the community. This sourdough is a significant part of my passion. Soon, with care and attention, it will become a thriving, living part of your kitchen. Sourdough connects us to history, to simple ingredients, and to the joy of creation. It takes patience, but the reward—a warm, tangy loaf pulled from your own oven—is incomparable.
If you have any questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Whether you need help with the rehydration process, I’m here to assist. If you’re troubleshooting your very first loaf, I am ready to help. I am genuinely excited to help you along your sourdough path!
Happy Baking,
Aly
Step-By-Step
Day 1
You will need:
- 20G jar of dehydrated starter
- A clean, clear jar (at least 16 oz/475 ml), I recommend using glass.
- 20 grams of un-chlorinated, lukewarm water (bottled or filtered is best)
- 20 grams of flour (all-purpose, bread, or a 50/50 mix with whole wheat/rye are great choices. Personally, I like to use fresh-milled hard red wheat flour.)
Instructions:
- Combine: Place the entire contents of your 20G dehydrated starter into the clean jar.
- Hydrate: Pour the 20 grams of lukewarm water over the starter.
- Mix: Stir until the dry starter is completely dissolved and no lumps remain. It will look like a very thick paste.
- Wait: Cover the jar loosely (a paper towel and rubber band, or a jar lid resting lightly on top) and let it rest at room temperature (around 70–75°F / 21–24°C) for 12 hours.
- Feed: After 12 hours, stir in 20G flour. Mix until fully combined.
- Rest: Cover and let it rest for another 12 hours.
Days 2–5
You will now begin a consistent feeding schedule to bring the starter back to full strength.
Feeding Schedule:
- Feed twice a day (every 12 hours).
- Discard, then Feed: Before each feeding, remove (discard) a portion of the starter so that you only have about 50 grams
remaining in your jar. This keeps the volume manageable and ensures your starter gets enough food to be active.
Instructions:
- Discard: Scoop out and discard all but 50 grams of your starter.
- Add Water: Stir in the 50 grams of lukewarm water until the mixture is uniform.
- Add Flour: Stir in the 50 grams of flour until just combined.
- Mark & Rest: Use a rubber band or marker on the outside of the jar to mark the level of the starter immediately after
feeding. Cover loosely and let it rest at room temperature.
Days 4–7
Your starter is considered active, strong, and ready to bake when it consistently meets these two criteria:
- It doubles in size (reaches the 2x mark you noted with your band/marker).
- It does so within 4–8 hours of being fed.
Once your starter is doubling consistently it’s fully activated and ready to make its first loaf of bread.
FAQ
Q: What about the float test?
A: Personally, I have not been successful with the float test; I am more comfortable ensuring my starter is doubling consistently.
Q: What if I’m going on vacation?
A: Bring your starter with you.
Just kidding – I recommend feeding your starter, then placing it in the fridge with the lid airtight. It should last weeks-months in the fridge this way.
If you have any additional questions or need any help, leave a reply below!
How To Rehydrate Your Sourdough Starter
Recipe by
Servings
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Prep time
3-5 Days
Cooking time
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Calories
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This 5-day process will bring your dehydrated starter back to life. Remember that sourdough is a journey, not a race. Take your time, do your research, and you’ll be baking beautiful bread in no time.
Ingredients
- 20g Heaven Kneads dehydrated sourdough starter.
- Unchlorinated, lukewarm water.
- Flour (all-purpose, bread flour, fresh milled)
Directions
- Combine: Place the 20g of dehydrated starter into your clean glass jar.
- Hydrate: Add 20g of lukewarm water. Stir until the starter is dissolved and forms a thick paste
- First Rest: Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours
- First Feed: After 12 hours, stir in 20g of flour. Mix well.
- Second Rest: Cover and let rest for another 12 hours.
- Routine: Every 12-24 hours, remove all but 50g of starter from the jar. Add 50g water, 50g flour, and stir. Mark the height with a marker or rubberband.
Notes
You can attempt these steps with any amount of starter, as long as you follow the ratio of starter:water:flour. For example, feel free to try this recipe with 10g of starter, and save the additional dehydrated starter as a “back-up”.
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