how to know your levain is ready

when you’re ready to bake your sourdough loaf, you first need to make a levain out of your starter. then you have to be sure it’s ready.

if the levain looks bubbly and smells right, it’s probably ready. but knowing for sure is where the float test comes in. it takes about 10 seconds and saves you from a dense, sad loaf.

what it is

drop a small spoonful of levain into a bowl of room temperature water. if it floats, it’s ready to use! if it sinks, it needs more time.

that’s the whole thing. no scales, no guessing, no math.

why it works

as your levain ferments, gas bubbles get trapped in the gluten structure. enough trapped gas makes the whole thing float.

what to watch for

• use a spoonful not a big glob
• scoop gently from the top so you don’t knock out the gasses
• use room temperature water

check out this video to see how it works then try it for yourself!