Is it easy to bake sourdough?

The popularity of sourdough baking has exploded in recent years. A few years ago I had barely heard of it – rye, spelt and wholemeal were my ‘healthy’ loaves of choice. So what changed to make it so on trend?

The recent pandemic with its cabin fever and the fear of empty shop shelves propelled many home bakers to ditch the yeast and try their hand brewing their own jar of bubbly goodness.

Plus, let’s face it, few can resist the crunch of a fresh slice with its chewy, airy centre, especially when it’s smothered in butter or laden with a slice of cheese and pickled onions. But at up to $12 a pop, I couldn’t afford for it to be top of my shopping list (except maybe on the weekends…)

Sadly though, sourdough baking remains a mystery to most. Abandoning the familiar and reassuring sachets of yeast in favour of wild bacteria caught from the air feels risky. Not many have the patience for weeks of watching bubbles form and lift a sticky batter to new heights in an encrusted jar. Sadly, sourdough continues to baffle even the most proficient home cook.

But is it really as complicated as we think?

What if you could be confident in a system and a routine that worked around a busy family, long work hours and the sluggish forgetfulness induced by a newborn’s haphazard sleep patterns?

My own sourdough journey began a few years ago when visiting friends. I listened attentively to descriptions of hours of ‘stretching and folding’ (whatever that was!) I was intrigued by the fact that the delicious, dukkah-encrusted squares I couldn’t stop eating had been mixed DAYS earlier. What was this sourdough sorcery?!

I was determined to learn more. What made sourdough so different from other breads? Why was it so time-consuming? Surely it didn’t need to be THAT hard? Could I ever be successful baking it?

So I asked for some starter and gave it a go.

Unfortunately though, my initial enthusiasm and genuine love of sourdough were not enough to sustain me through the coming days. I did make one lovely boule, but then the uncertainty over whether my starter was still healthy and strong and not slightly stinky and a loaf away from an unwell tummy, drove me to cut my losses and I ditched the whole jar.

Fast forward another couple of years and I tried again. This time with my own, ‘from scratch’ starter. I felt inspired, upbeat and ready to push through any difficulties. But life got busier and then we moved house and had a baby so again my sourdough dreams fell flat.

By the end of 2023 I was ready to give it yet another go and this time I was determined not to fail. I had inadvertently narrowed my sourdough problems down to three main issues and as I committed to practising and finding my own rhythm, I made slow but steady progress. I now bake daily and am loving watching my children build their skills and try new recipes.

1. Sourdough isn’t nearly as hard as I thought
2. Like most things, practice, patience, and confidence are key
3. Don’t be afraid to start again if you fail – it really is worth it if you can master the skills!
4. Flour is cheap and even the ‘worst’ sourdough loaves are delicious!
5. Sourdough baking is a skill that enables you to bring joy to so many people! Who doesn’t love a great loaf of bread!

If you’re keen to give sourdough a go at home, head over to this post and read all about my No fail Sourdough in 3 easy steps!