Desem (Whole Wheat) Sourdough Starter Culture

Make your own whole grain bread with our Flemish Desem (Dutch for “leaven”) Starter.

You will receive:

• 1 packet Desem sourdough starter and instructions

Desem (pronounced DAY-zum) is both a type of sourdough starter and the resulting bread.

Desem starter is widely used in Belgium to make healthy, nutrient-rich bread. The starter was traditionally grown in a bed of flour at cool temperatures until it reached sufficient maturity. Desem starter is best made with grains free of chemicals and water that does not contain chlorine or fluoride. Reusable - with proper care and by reserving a bit from each batch, you can continue to make Desem Sourdough over and over.

You will need:

• one quart canning jar or other glass jar
• coffee filter or paper towel to cover jar, and elastic band to secure cover
• wooden or plastic spoon
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water (filtered, spring or well water is ideal)
• 1 packet Desem sourdough starter culture

Activate your starter culture:

1. Put 1/4 cup water into jar. Sprinkle the starter culture over water, allow to sit for a few minutes to soften, then stir again. Add the 1/4 cup flour, mixing well and stirring vigorously. Cover the jar & secure with elastic band.
2. Allow to culture at room temperature (68 to 78 degrees is ideal) for 24 hours. Choose a draft-free spot, out of direct sunlight, where your sourdough won't be disturbed. While not necessary, stirring again once or twice during this 24 hours will help get things going.
3. After 24 hours, "feed" your starter with 1/8 flour and enough water to make a thick pancake batter-like consistency (about 1/8 cup). Stir well to incorporate. Allow to culture as before. Continue to feed 1/8 cup flour & water daily (you can also divide feeding into two 1/16 cup feedings to help encourage activity & avoid stagnation). In about 2-4 days you should start to see tiny bubbles on the surface. This means your culture is "waking up". Soon after, you should see more activity, especially when stirred. It can take several days, depending on temp and density of flour used. Once you see activity, you're ready for action!
4. When your starter is activated, continue with daily feedings of roughly equal parts flour & water (to make a consistency like heavy pancake batter). Frequent small feedings will keep your starter active and will increase volume more quickly for baking (amount of starter needed depends on your recipe). As you use your starter in recipes, always remember to reserve some back as your continuing starter. If you plan to use it frequently, keep it in a warm place and continue with daily feedings. If it will be awhile until you use it, store it in the refrigerator in a covered jar or container. This will put your starter to "sleep", requiring less attention until you're ready to use it again. While refrigerated, feed your starter weekly to keep it happy.

Reviving refrigerated starter:

1. Remove Sourdough starter from refrigerator. Feed the starter with roughly equal parts flour & water (about 1/3 of the volume of your starter), mixing well. Cover with coffee filter & secure with elastic band.
2. Place in a warm spot for 12 to 24 hours. During this time you should begin to see bubbles, as your starter awakens.
3. Feed the starter again, and let sit for 6 to 12 hours. You should now have a lively starter again. All that is left to do is build it up to the quantity you want for your recipes with once or twice daily feedings.

Ingredients:

organic whole wheat flour, sourdough bacteria

CONTAINS WHEAT

non-GMO, organic, vegan, vegetarian, reusable