How To Gift a Sourdough Starter: Dehydrated Sourdough Starter
Gifting a sourdough starter is a simple and thoughtful gift. Dehydrating your sourdough starter is an easy way to preserve the life of your starter to give away and even keep in your cabinet in case something happens to your sourdough starter. Through many life changes this past year, I’m so thankful I had some starter dehydrated after mine was poorly neglected. Here is how to dehydrate and rehydrate your sourdough starter!
How to dehydrate a sourdough starter
Add parchment paper to a baking sheet.
Spread an active sourdough starter in a thin layer over the parchment paper. Try to spread it as thin as possible, the thinner it is the more quickly it will dry out.
Lay another piece of parchment paper over the starter.
Place the baking sheet in an oven that is off for 24 hours or until it is completely dried.
When the starter is dehydrated, use a rolling pin or your fist to break it into small pieces.
Measure 5-10 grams into a jar to gift to a friend!
How to rehydrate a sourdough starter
Measure 5 grams of the dried starter in a clean jar.
Cover it with about 10 grams of water.
Stir it around, break up the pieces as much as possible, and let it sit for up to 24 hours to soak in the water.
The next day, it won’t look like much has happened. Feed it another ten grams of warm water and ten grams of unbleached flour.
After 24 hours, take a clean jar put 20 grams of your starter in, and then mix in 50 grams of warm water. Stir it well and then add 50 grams of unbleached flour.
Use a marker to see where you’re starting at. The next day you will see some growth but if not, keep feeding your starter (20g starter, 50g warm water, 50g flour) and you’ll be baking bread in no time!