Sourdough Starter—The Bread-making Process

Step One: How to Make a Basic Levain

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How to Bake Sourdough Bread: Fermentation, Starters & Recipes
How to Bake Sourdough Bread

By Michael Kalanty

Published 2025

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Once it is established, the Sourdough Starter can be used to make a main dough. The yeast provides leavening power so commercial profile. Many naturally fermented breads are made directly from a Sourdough Culture.

Often, a baker builds additional flavor notes and types of acidity into the culture instead of using it as is. He does this through a system of Builds or Elaborations.

A Build is a secondary, culture that has a unique feeding formula and fermentation schedule. Instead of all white flour, for example, a portion of the Sourdough Culture can be fed 95% White Flour and 5% Rye. It is fermented for 5 hours more at 70°F and then spends additional time in the refrigerator or cooler. The result is called a Levain. Once the Levain is ripe (that is, has completed its full fermentation) it is used to make a main bread dough, like a Pain au Levain, Honey Rye Bread, or Oatmeal & Raisin Porridge Bread and the other breads in this book.