Sourdough Starter For Classic Sourdough Bread Recipes

Steps:

• In large non-metallic bowl, mix together dry yeast, 2 cups warm water, and 2 cups all purpose flour and cover loosely.
• Leave in a warm place to ferment, 4 to 8 days. Depending on temperature and humidity of kitchen, times may vary. Place on cookie sheet in case of overflow. Check on occasionally.
• When mixture is bubbly and has a pleasant sour smell, it is ready to use. If mixture has a pink, orange, or any other strange color tinge to it, THROW IT OUT! and start over. Keep it in the refrigerator, covered until ready to bake.
• When you use starter to bake, always replace with equal amounts of a flour and water mixture with a pinch of sugar. So, if you remove 1 cup starter, replace with 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Mix well and leave out on the counter until bubbly again, then refrigerate. If a clear to light brown liquid has accumulated on top, don't worry, this is an alcohol base liquid that occurs with fermentation. Just stir this back into the starter, the alcohol bakes off and that wonderful sourdough flavor remains! Sourdough starters improve with age, they used to be passed down generation to generation!
• Use this starter to make the Sourdough Chocolate Cranberry Cake, and the Sourdough Chocolate Cake.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water, rest for ten minutes.
• Mix in flour, sugar& remaining water.
• Allow to stand, loosely covered, in a warm place for 3 or 4 days. Use a large (preferably ceramic) bowl as it will rise considerably.
• Every time the batter is used to make a product set aside 1 cup to be used as a"starter" for another batch.
• Keep covered in the fridge (a pint jar works nicely).
• To make it into a basic batter again, add another 2 cups flour& 2 cups warm water and allow to stand at room temp overnight It is now ready to use, but again reserve a cup of the starter.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in water in a large plastic container (gallon size works well). Add sugar. When yeast bubbles (about 10 minutes), stir in flour until you have a smooth paste.
• Cover loosely to allow gases to escape and place in a warm spot in your kitchen 2 to 3 days. The mixture should bubble and give off a sour odor. Stir starter once a day, making sure to stir in any crust that's formed. After this point, you can store starter in the refrigerator or leave it out in a cool, dark area of your kitchen.
• Feed starter by stirring in 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup water every day if you leave it out, or every few days if it's refrigerated; otherwise, it will become too acidic and eventually die.
• Once starter has grown a few weeks and has reached full strength, you can decrease feedings to once a week.
• If you don't use your starter regularly, it's going to get unruly and burst the bounds of it's container. Give some away to friends along with feeding and baking instructions.

Steps:

• Day 1: mix 1/2 ounce flour (about 1 tbsp, packed) and 1 oz water (2 tbsp) in a pint jar. Cover with plastic wrap. (Do not cover tightly at any point in the process.) Stir well several times through the day.
• Day 2: no feeding, just stir whenever you think of it.
• Day 3: add 1 oz flour and 1 oz water (2 tbsp of each) and stir whenever you think of it.
• Day 4: Add 1 oz flour and 1/2 oz water. This now brings the flour and water amounts to a 50/50 ratio, or 100% hydration in bakers' parlance. Continue to stir as often as you think of it.
• Day 5: add 1 oz flour and 1 oz water (2 tbsp of each) and stir whenever you think of it.
• Day 6: add 1 oz flour and 1 oz water (2 tbsp of each) and stir whenever you think of it. By now, you should be seeing plenty of bubbles, but don't worry if you don't.
• Day 7: add 1 oz flour and 1 oz water (2 tbsp of each) and stir whenever you think of it. If you like your sourdough a little more sour, stir LESS often; the bacteria will only produce acid when deprived of oxygen.
• Day 8: add 1 oz flour and 1 oz water (2 tbsp of each) and stir whenever you think of it.
• Day 9: Assuming your starter is bubbling vigorously, you're ready for your first harvest! Remove 1/4 lb (4 oz, 1/2 c) of starter to a bowl, add 2 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp water, stir and cover with plastic wrap. Add the usual 1 oz flour and 1 oz water (2 tbsp of each) to the jar.
• Day 10: Feed starter again with 1 oz each flour and water. To make bread: Transfer prepared starter to the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, then add bread flour and water. Mix on medium-low until elastic, about 5 minutes. Add salt and oil and mix until combined. Form into a ball and place into a oiled bowl. You can let it rise 2-3 hours and bake today, refrigerate overnight and bake tomorrow (let it come up to room temperature, 2 hours or so, before proceeding). Form into desired shape and let rise about 1 hour; slash top in desired pattern. Bake in preheated 350F oven. Bake about 40 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when thumped in the bottom. Cool completely before slicing.
• Day 11: if you continue to bake regularly, you can feed your starter every 1-2 days with 1oz each flour and water, then harvest 4 ounces to cook with. If you don't need to bake that often, refrigerate the starter after a last feeding. It will keep at least a month in the fridge, but can last up to 3 months with proper care. Bring up to room temperature, and feed as usual for 3 days before harvesting to bake.

Steps:

• Make the starter:.
• Put the flour into a large bowl and stir in yeast. Make a well, pour in the water and mix.
• Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 2 days. Or you could leave the starter in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Make the sponge:.
• Put the rye flour into a large bowl, add 2 cups of sourdough starter and the water, and stir to mix. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 8 hours or chill in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Make the bread:.
• Put the flour into a bowl, add the sponge mixture , yeast, measured water, caraway seeds(if using), and salt, and mix to a soft and slightly sticky dough.
• Turn the dough into a large ungreased bowl, sprinkle the top with flour, cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, until doubled in size.
• Lightly sprinkle 2 baking sheets with cornmeal. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and punch down with your fist. Knead for 3-4 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Halve the dough and form each half into a round. Score the tops with a sharp knife.
• Place on the baking sheets, cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes or until they have doubled in size.
• Place loaves in a 425*F. oven. Fill a roasting pan with boiling water and place at the bottom of the oven. Bake the loaves for about 35 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Tap the bottoms to see if the loaves are cooked; they should sound hollow. Leave to cool on wire racks. Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the water, sourdough starter and 4 cups of flour.
• Mix well and cover with plastic wrap in a warm place 8-12 hours (I do it over night).
• The next day stir in the salt and sugar and add flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time to make a very stiff dough .
• Knead till smooth.
• Cover and let rise 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
• Punch down and divide in half.
• Knead till smooth and form into rounds. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover lightly and let rise till double and puffy (1 to 1-2 hrs).
• While this is rising mix the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp cornstarch in a small bowl and microwave till boiling, remove from heat and let cool.
• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Carefully place a small pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Cut two slashes across each other on top of each loaf.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Pull out the rack and baste each loaf well with the cornstarch mixture.
• Close the oven and allow to bake another 20-25 minutes. Loaves should be a light golden color and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• You are suppose to allow this to cool for 2 hrs to develop the sourdough flavor fully -- we wait maybe 30-45 minutes!

Steps:

• In a covered 4-qt. glass or ceramic container, mix flour and yeast. Gradually stir in warm water until smooth. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel; let stand in a warm place 2-4 days or until mixture is bubbly and sour smelling and a clear liquid has formed on top. (Starter may darken, but if starter turns another color or develops an offensive odor or mold, discard it and start over.) , Cover tightly and refrigerate starter until ready to use. Use and replenish starter, or nourish it, once every 1-2 weeks. To use and replenish starter:Stir to blend in any liquid on top. Remove amount of starter needed; bring to room temperature before using. For each 1/2 cup starter removed, add 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup warm water to the remaining starter and stir until smooth. Cover loosely and let stand in a warm place 1-2 days or until light and bubbly. Stir; cover tightly and refrigerate.To nourish starter:Remove half of the starter. Stir in equal parts of flour and warm water; cover loosely and let stand in a warm place 1-2 days or until light and bubbly. Stir; cover tightly and refrigerate.

Steps:

• Day 1: Mix 70 grams flour and 70 grams water together in a container with a lid. Container needs to be large enough to accommodate another 70 grams water and flour. Cover loosely so gases can escape. Leave for 24 hours at 70 degrees F.
• Day 2: Add 70 grams flour and 70 grams water. Stir. Cover loosely and leave for 24 hours at 70 degrees.
• Day 3: Remove half (140 grams) of the starter. Add 70 grams flour and 70 grams water. Stir. Cover loosely and leave for 24 hours at 70 degrees.
• Day 4 through about Day 10: Repeat Step 3 each day until starter smells fruity, yeasty, and is beautifully fermented. You can test this by seeing if the mixture doubles within 2 to 3 hours of feeding.
• Refrigerate until needed. Most people recommend you feed the starter once a month or so (Step 3).
• To make bread using a refrigerated starter: feed it at room temperature for two days. Use your refreshed starter to make bread on the third day. Remember to set aside 140 grams of starter and feed it again before returning it to the fridge.

Steps:

• Day 1:To begin your starter, mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water in a jar or, better still, a plastic container. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for 24 hrs.
• Day 2:Mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water and stir into yesterday's mixture. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for another 24 hrs.
• Day 3:Mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water and stir into yesterday's mixture. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for another 24 hrs.
• Day 4:You should start to see some activity in the mixture now; there should be some bubbles forming and bubbling on top. Mix 50g flour with 50g tepid water and stir into yesterday's mixture. Make sure all the flour is incorporated and leave, semi-uncovered, at room temperature for another 24 hrs.
• Day 5:The mixture should be very active now and ready for making your levain (starter). If it's not bubbling, continue to feed it on a daily basis until it does. When it's ready, it should smell like yogurt.
• You now have a starter, which is the base to the bread. You'll need to look after it, but naming is optional! Keep it in the fridge (it will stay dormant) and 24 hrs before you want to use it, pour half of it off and feed it with 100g flour and 100g water. Leave it at room temperature and it should become active again. The longer the starter has been dormant, the more times it will need to be refreshed - the process of pouring off half the starter and replacing it with new flour and water - to reactivate. If your starter is ready to use, a teaspoonful of the mixture should float in warm water.The starter can now be used to make white sourdough bread.