The Baker's Hotline

January 12, 2017 at 2:32pm

In reply to by ILONA EDENS (not verified)

We're glad you've found it helpful, Ilona! There are a number of different ways to develop and maintain a sourdough starter, including exclusively with whole wheat flour, but this method is written for maintenance with unbleached, all-purpose flour. For the same reason that whole wheat helps in the very beginning--more nutrients provide more readily available food for the yeast--it will also lead the starter to ferment more quickly. This means that you need to feed it more often and run a greater risk of over-fermenting, potentially developing undesirable bacteria. For these reasons, we typically recommend feeding regularly with all-purpose, and adding an occasional whole wheat feeding if you're looking for a boost in activity or more of a whole wheat flavor in a particular bake. If you do choose to feed exclusively with whole wheat, we'd recommend finding a recipe and maintenance routine that are written specifically for whole wheat in order to get your timing right. Hope this helps! Mollie@KAF
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