Homemade Sourdough Bread Starter Recipes

SOURDOUGH STARTER

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.

HOMEMADE SOURDOUGH BREAD & STARTER

Steps:

• STARTER: Combine well then store at room temperature for 24 hours in a glass jar or plastic bowl (do not use metal). Cover top with a dish towel to allow it to breathe. After 24 hours you can start bread. If you're not ready to start bread, refrigerate the starter. Cover jar or bowl with its lid. Feed starter every 5 days.
• TO FEED STARTER: Mix 3 Tbsp instant potato flakes, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup warm water. Mix starter into this and let stand 24 hours at room temperature in glass or plastic (do not use metal). Cover jar or bowl with a dish towel to allow it to breathe.
• BREAD: Take out 1 cup of starter and refrigerate the rest or give a friend 1 cup. In a large bowl mix 1 cup of starter along with 6 cups of bread flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil, and 1 1/2 cups warm water, and salt if using.
• Grease another large bowl and put in the dough, turning once to grease all sides. Cover lightly with foil and let stand for 8 to 10 hours at room temperature to allow it to rise. Make sure it's in a warm room and out of a draft.
• After 8 to 10 hours punch down and knead a little then divide the dough into 4 parts. Knead each part on a floured surface 8 to 10 times.
• Shape into loaves by hand & place into 4 well-greased loaf pans and brush lightly with oil. Cover with foil. Let rise 8 to 12 hours at room temperature (in a warm room) out of draft. Note: One of my friends uses her oven (with the light on & keeps the door closed until time to take out) while the bread is rising.
• Preheat oven to 350. Remove foil and bake at 350 for approximately 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter (optional) and serve warm or cold.
• ***CINNAMON ROLLS: Rather than making it into 4 loaves you can make 2 loaves and gently roll the other half out (I use my hands for this along with a rolling pin). Spread a thin layer of very soft butter onto the dough, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and raisins if you like. Use your judgment on the amounts.
• Now roll up, jelly-roll style, and cut into an inch in thickness. Place these rolls onto a buttered cookie sheet and cover with foil and let rise at room temperature in a warm room out of a draft.
• Remove foil and bake at 350 until golden brown. Make your glaze by using powdered sugar and either milk, orange juice (with zest), or lemon juice (with zest) and glaze each cinnamon roll while still warm.
• My sister just makes balls rather than 4 loaves at this point (using the same concept) for dinner rolls. Or make 1 loaf, cinnamon rolls, and dinner rolls. Or you can make half dinner & half cinnamon rolls. Just have fun and get creative with this bread.

SOURDOUGH STARTER

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.