How To Make Your Own Liquid Sourdough Starter (2024)

by Audrey October 16, 2017

October 16, 2017

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If you’re getting your hands wet in the art of bread-making, you will soon find that owning a jar of sourdough starter is a game changer. Because behind every great loaf, there is likely a great starter.

So what is a sourdough starter and why would you need it?

A starter is what we call a preferment – a mix of water and flour, meant to cultivate and maintain wild yeast and bacteria. When baking breads, this “living” mixture is used as a “head start” for your dough, making it easier to knead, to rise and adding flavor to your bread.

The recipe for this liquid sourdough starter (also known in French as “levain”) is from The Larousse Book of Bread by Eric Kayser. Superstar French baker and food writer, Eric Kayser , has built his fame on his incredible baguettes, boules, ciabatta, croissants and buns – for the most part made “au levain” (meaning, with a starter). And this liquid sourdough starter is one of his most famous “levain”.

I love this Liquid Sourdough Starter because it is quite easy to prepare and maintain, and so versatile. Holding more moisture, it gives to breads a slightly less acidic taste than regular sourdough starters, but with just as much flavor.

Using quality flours is of course essential. You could opt for white (unbleached) flour if you prefer, but the mix of whole wheat and rye (as indicated in the recipe) is for me, the way to go. Both whole wheat and rye flours are packed with fiber and nutrients, which will ferment your starter more actively.

Whole wheat flour could also work great on its own, but for beginners, the addition of rye flour makes starter maintenance a bit easier. Rye flour contains less gluten than whole wheat so it’s much easier to stir.

According to Eric Kayser, the liquid sourdough starter is ready for use on the 4^th day. So I couldn’t help but bake myself a French Boule, which turned out amazing! The recipe will be coming soon… The recipe is here!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using#pardonyourfrenchon Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

Liquid Sourdough Starter by Eric Kayser

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 4 days

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.6/5

( 23 voted )

Ingredients

140g organic rye flour
240g filtered water (20C/68F).
10g liquid honey (or liquid malt)
100 g whole wheat flour (T55 or T65)

You will also need a clean glass jar, a rubber spatula and a food scale.

Instructions

Day 1

In a small bowl, mix together 20g of rye flour with 20g of water (20C/68F) and 5g of honey (or malt).

Cover with a tea towel, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day 2

In a medium size bowl, mix together 40g of rye flour with 40g of water (20C/68F) and 5g of honey (or malt). Add in the starter from the day before and mix (this is called “feeding” the levain).

Cover with a tea towel, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Bubbles will start to form at the top, indicating the wild yeast is getting active.

Day 3

In a bigger bowl, mix together 80g of rye flour with 80g of water (20C/68F). Add in the starter from the day before, and mix.

Cover with a tea towel, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Bubbles will multiply, and the starter will have a foamy texture.

Day 4

In a bigger bowl, mix together 100g of wheat flour with 100g of water (20C/68F). Add in the starter from the day before, and mix.

The starter is bubbly, frothy and has a sharp sour smell to it. It is ready to be used!

Grab your final starter vessel (a mason jar ideally), and weigh it on the scale (while empty!).

Fill the jar with the sourdough starter and weigh it again on the scale. The difference of weight is the weight of your sourdough.

Maintenance Routine:

Store your starter in the jar, at room temperature, with the lid just laying on top (not twisted/sealed) so it never stops being inoculated with small amounts of air.
In general, you will need 100g of starter to bake a 500g bread loaf. This recipe is for a 500g starter, so you will be able to bake 1 or 2 loaves every 3 days.
This sourdough stays active 3 days, so you need to feed it every 3 days. Whether you use it for baking or not, you need to feed it every 3 days, regardless.
When feeding it, use 50% rye flour and 50% whole wheat flour.
To feed it, add 25% of its weight in water and 25% of its weight in flour (rye or white). For example, if you have 300g of starter left, add-in 75g of flour and 75g of water (300g x 25%=75g)
Always feed it at the same time (adopt a routine, ie. feed it right before you leave for work or come home from work).

Did You Make This Recipe?

Leave a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram and tag @pardonyourfrench

Here’s the liquid sourdough starter after 7 days. Bubbly, foamy with a powerful smell!

37 comments

schilan October 4, 2018 - 8:57 pm

On the 4th day, when I add the 100g of whole wheat flour, do I have to wait another day to use or can use right away to make my bread?

Pardon your French October 5, 2018 - 12:06 pm

Great question! Yes, you can start using the starter right away on the 4th day (right after adding the 100G of whole wheat flour). Although, I should tell you that I know some people who like to wait 24hrs and start using it on the 5th day, so the “sour” taste of the starter is a bit more present in the bread (but I think on the 4th day is perfectly fine).

Ilya October 31, 2018 - 2:40 am

It’s the second time I attempt to follow this recipe — first time from Eric Kayser’s book — and it doesn’t seem like there’s enough water. After day one, the mixture was crusty on the top. I continued with the day two additions and there are no bubbles; it just looks very dry. Any thoughts?

Pardon your French October 31, 2018 - 1:47 pm

Hi ! Thanks for your comment. Yes, this is Eric Kayser’s book recipe – I have been relying on this one for most my starters, and it has been successful for me (and it makes the most delicious bread!).

This problem (too dry/crust/no fermentation) could be caused by many reasons, here are a few of my suggestions for you:

– Too cold temperature – The most common issue when creating a starter is the temperature. Make sure you keep it a warm (but not too warm) environment. We’re having cooling weather these days, which means we have to work a little harder to keep our starter at a good temperature or this will slow down/stop fermentation (76F-80F; ambient temperature is ideal). Avoiding light also helps (I store my starter in a cabinet).
– Water – When creating or feeding your starter, make sure you use lukewarm water, not cold. Ideally use filtered or bottled water to avoid any trace chemicals (which can have negative effect on fermentation).
– Flour – Make sure the flour you use is unbleached and does not contain chemicals.
– Container – Often too, when a skin/crust forms on the surface it means too much air is getting into your starter. Make sure you store your starter in a glass/jar that is closed, but not airtight. Ie. you can use a cloth that will cover it but keep it breathable. Using a damp cloth could help keeping moisture in too and avoid a crust to form. If a skin still forms, you can simply peel it off in between feedings.
– Maturation – A starter needs time to mature. You need to feed it consistently and have a routine to train it to become strong, and rise and fall at the same hours everyday. A starter has a spurt of activity in the early days (lots of bubbles) and then slows down (less bubbling, but more consistent).

I hope this helps!

Ilya October 31, 2018 - 7:53 pm

Thanks for the suggestions! I have considered some of them already, for my next attempt.
– I used a metal container, and I probably should use glass.
– I did try to warm up the water slightly, but I will make sure that it’s between 75-80. Will also get bottled water. I don’t have any filters, as the water in Portland is pretty good.
– I want to try using a wet cloth to cover the starter.
– I start out with organic Rye flour. per Eric’s book.
I will make another attempt shortly and report my observations. Thanks again!

Pardon your French November 1, 2018 - 12:13 pm

My pleasure, I hope your next attempt is successful, let me know 🙂

ilya ratner November 8, 2018 - 5:48 am

Thanks, Audrey! It appears that my experiment might have worked! After day 3 my sourdough starter was “speaking” to me. I added 100g of plain flour and water and it put it in the fridge. I assume I should let it stand at room temperature for a while before using it? Or it doesn’t matter, as the dough would have to rise anyway.

Pardon your French November 8, 2018 - 1:06 pm

So glad to hear the starter is finally “speaking to you”! 🙂 You can start using the starter right away on the 4th day (right after adding the 100G of whole wheat flour). Although, some people who like to wait 24hrs and start using it on the 5th day, so the “sour” taste of the starter is a bit more present in the bread (but I think on the 4th day is perfectly fine).

Emily December 26, 2018 - 5:00 am

I accidentally didn’t plan well enough and used 100g rye flour on day 4 instead of the whole wheat flour. Any ideas how this will effect things? Thanks for all of this – super helpful!

Pardon your French December 26, 2018 - 2:26 pm

Generally, starters are very forgiving – especially, rye flour is known to be one of the best food to feed your starter. Start re-feeding your starter as intended, and I’m hoping it should be able to repair itself. As far I know, only extreme temperatures can’t kill a starter. Let me know 🙂

Jennifer April 26, 2020 - 1:36 pm

Thank you for this Audrey; I have a sourdough starter which has given me great bread so far ( 50-50 granary flour and strong white flour). Is there a way I can just dilute this starter to make it more liquid to use in Eric’s baguette recipe? Thanks!

Audrey June 4, 2020 - 11:22 am

Hi Emily! I never intended to turn a stiff starter into a liquid starter, but this page says it is possible and explains how it’s done (in the “Tips from our bakers” section)> https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/stiff-sourdough-starter-recipe#:~:text=Want%20to%20turn%20your%20stiff,cup%20(2%20ounces)%20water. I hope this helps!

Alana January 1, 2019 - 1:01 pm

Hello, I am just about to started making my starter but come from a hot climate in North Queensland, Australia. I will have to keep it in the fridge. Could you please tell me how to care for it while in the fridge & also what to do to use it (assuming you can’t use it cold, straight from the fridge). Also, when feeding it, is it best to do this when I want to bake a loaf? As I will need to remove some before/immediately after feeding, right? Or it will just keep getting bigger & eventually become unmanageable?

Pardon your French January 1, 2019 - 9:22 pm

Hi Alana. Unfortunately, I am not very familiar with starters in hot environments. However, I do not really recommend keeping your starter in the fridge immediately – it will likely not produce. Starters are often kept in the fridge when they have stabilized (usually after a week). Could you maybe try to start your starter in the coolest part of your house, and once it’s stable you can transfer it and keep it in your fridge. Once in the fridge, a starter needs to be fed once a week or about 2 to 3 days before baking, and then daily until the day of baking (as a way to “bring it back to life” prior to baking). This is my best advice, although again, I can’t guarantee as I haven’t worked in a starter in that type of climate. Good luck, and let me know!

Les January 20, 2019 - 7:22 pm

Bigger container is primary for success

Pardon your French January 21, 2019 - 1:06 pm

Thanks for this tip! Keeping this starter in a mason jar has been working for me. Although, I am currently also keeping another kind of starter ( Tartine’s starter – so not liquid) in a bigger container, and it works wonderfully too; so I Think there’s no harm in testing different sizes.

Elizabeth Koelsch January 26, 2019 - 10:48 pm

I’m so excited to make my own starter , I have been making bread since I lived at home when I was younger, and I haven’t left the kitchen since then…. I am very appreciative for the recipe…. I look forward to learning more from Eric as I have the same passion as he in the kitchen.

Pardon your French January 26, 2019 - 11:07 pm

Thanks Elizabeth! This liquid starter by Eric Kayser is a great beginner’s starter! Have fun!

Valentina February 23, 2019 - 3:59 pm

I’am very interesting with your recipe.. Very inspiring..
Just wondering.. Is rye can substitute with another fluor.. ? Thanks a lot

Pardon your French February 25, 2019 - 7:27 pm

Hi Valentina. I have only made this starter with rye flour to start, so I can’t really suggest a substitute for it. I know that most other sourdough starters (non-liquid) call for white and/or whole wheat flour … but again, sorry, I can’t guarantee you substitutes for rye flour could work here.

ilya ratner February 25, 2019 - 7:43 pm

Eric Kayser’s book has another recipe where you ferment 500gm of cut-up grapes or apples for 10-15 days, and then add some plain flour. I attempted that recipe and ended up with 500gm of moldy grapes. But your results may be different.

Pardon your French February 25, 2019 - 10:42 pm

I haven’t tried this recipe, but mold certainly doesn’t sound attractive! 🙂 I can assure you I never had mold issues with this one!

Jim Zoeller April 14, 2019 - 3:26 pm

Hi, I am attempting to make this starter using malt instead of honey. I bought King Arthur Diastatic Malt Powder. When I mix in the malt, it makes the starter rather dry. Should I be adding water to the malt or more water to the starter to compensate for the dryness of the powder? Thanks in advance.

Pardon your French April 16, 2019 - 12:38 pm

Hi Jim, malt powder is such a great ingredient to promote rising and a great texture for bread (with a crusty brown crust!). However, I have never used it in this recipe (for this liquid starter), so I can’t really give you any recommendations…Sorry! Lately, I have been using “The Sourdough School” book to make bread, which calls for adding malt powder to the flour (and not in the actual starter). Maybe reach out to them? (https://www.sourdough.co.uk/) Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.

Andrea Martinez August 30, 2019 - 3:38 pm

I cant find rye flour, whit what else can i subtitute it? Also, should i put the liquid starter in a container with a lid, or just in a bowl and cover it with a cloth ?

Audrey September 9, 2019 - 1:53 pm

Hi Andrea, I would recommend rye flour to start (you can usually find it in bulk stores, such as Bulk Barn in Canada). Rye flour is known to be one of the best food to feed your starter. If not, non-liquid sourdough starters often call for whole wheat flour – although I have never tried it for this liquid sourdough starter, so I can’t give you any guarantees. Keep your starter covered with a cloth. I hope this helps!

Mariflor March 22, 2020 - 3:44 pm

I am making a levain that requires discarding. I see this one doesn’t which is the first time I see this and that makes me happy because I hate the idea of discarding flour and water. So this will be the one I will go to next time. A question: If I use lets say 140 g of levain, I have to replace the same amount right? That way I am feeding it and maintaining, right? Thanks.

Audrey March 24, 2020 - 12:07 pm

Hi Mariflor. Thanks for your comment! No, you do not need to replace with the same amount. You only need to re-feed it with 25% of its weight in water and 25% of its weight in flour. Let’s say you have 500g of starter, and you use 200g of it for making a big loaf. You are left with 300g of starter, so you will add back 75g of flour and 75g of water (300g x 25%=75g). And you will feed your starter that way every 3 days. This starter is ideal for making bread at least once a week, or you will end up with a lot of starter. I hope this helsp!

Lindsie April 24, 2020 - 2:13 pm

I’m using this recipe. Got to day 4 and things were beautiful. But on day 5 (yesterday), I had quite a bit of hooch. I talked to a friend who also used this recipe and is more experienced in sourdoughs, and she suggested to go ahead and feed it again, so I did so last night. Then This morning (day 6), it already had a bit of hooch on top. I’m worried the 3 day feeding cycle isn’t going to work for me. I’d love your thoughts!

Audrey June 3, 2020 - 7:29 pm

Hi Lindsie, thanks for your comment (and apologies for the late reply!). That’s interesting, I actually never had this issue before. Are you keeping the jar in a spot that is too warm maybe? Any improvements/updates since you posted the comment?

quinton sheppard May 28, 2020 - 6:40 pm

Thank you, Audrey!
I did not know to make good Rye bread was so complicated, but it is self evident, the love and enjoyment one puts into the food that is made, the better the end result – something I can’t wait to get my hands into….I may even take a look at the book you published.
Thank you again, and keep up the wonderful work!
Quinton

Audrey June 3, 2020 - 7:18 pm

Hi Quinton, and thank you for your nice comment! This sourdough recipe calls for rye flour as this is a great one to use for starters. But you can use this starter for making other breads after – not just rye bread 😉

quinton sheppard June 6, 2020 - 8:31 pm

Hi Audrey,
Thank you very much for the reply 🙂 I have just received a copy of your book which I must say is beautifully illustrated and very well written especially compared to most of my cookery books I have on the shelf. A couple of questions, which two of the recipes do you like the most and why? and would you say Rye bread is a fairly easy bread to make? I may just try out a couple of the recipes when I next go to see family in France!🤞

Audrey June 6, 2020 - 8:55 pm

Hello there! Thank you so much for buying my book and for the nice comment! Picking just 2 of my favorite recipes from the book is very hard! It depends of the season… right now, I love making the Breton Strawberry & Cream Tart (it’s strawberry season!) and I made again last weekend the “Gougères” (cheese puffs) which are delicious and very addictive! I have never made Rye bread before, but I am sure it isn’t more complicated than other breads (I love Simplyrecipes.com and they have a recipe for it: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/georges_light_rye_bread/). I can’t wait for the day I can go back to France…maybe not this year, but hopefully soon!

quinton sheppard June 7, 2020 - 1:58 pm

Hi there, hope you do not mind the questions but I forgot to add in one other. Why do you use in at least one recipe a ‘Skillet’? and is this not just (if you do not mind my ignorance on the matter) an old fashioned frying pan? trying to see the difference and advantage.
The Strawberry and Cream Tart was also one I chose in the book as well – it looks delicious and it helps I have strawberries in the fridge! In will also check out the cheese puffs, thank you 🙂
Thank you for the link, I can’t wait for the kitchen to smell of baked rye bread – as a side note last time I made bread was for the family when I was 12, and it all went in 1 sitting! and this was before bread makers – never made bread since 🙂
All the best, Quinton P.S. yes, hopefully soon! i.e. France, I miss it a great deal!

Audrey July 2, 2020 - 5:49 pm

Hi Quinton! Sorry about this late reply. To respond to your question – I have enjoyed cooking with cast iron skillets more and more over the years. Skillets have the ability to get very, very hot and hold heat very well. This is great to create a nice sear on meats, or crispy/brown edges on other food like vegetables 🙂

Audrey

Bonjour ! I'm Audrey Le Goff, a French cookery writer, photographer, creator of the blog Pardon your French, and cookbook author of Rustic French Cooking Made Easy.

How To Make Your Own Liquid Sourdough Starter (2024)

Liquid Sourdough Starter by Eric Kayser

Ingredients

Instructions

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