Sourdough Starter Recipe

This is a fun way to keep the bread making spirit alive and well…after all, with some of this in the fridge needing used up pretty frequently, you’re either going to always have some treat on the make, or your friends are eventually going to beg you to quit divvying up your starter among them! For many sourdough recipes (you’d be surprised what variety of goodies you can make with sourdough starter) visit this recipe goldmine!

Sourdough Bread

SOURDOUGH STARTER: 1 tsp dry yeast, ¼ cup warm water (105-130 degrees), ¾ cup milk, 1 cup all purpose flour*

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 3-quart glass bowl. Stir in milk. Stir in flour gradually. Beat until smooth. Cover with towel or cheesecloth; let stand in warm, draft-free place until starter begins to ferment, about 24 hours (bubbles will appear on surface of starter). If starter has not begun fermenting after 24 hours, discard and start over. If fermentation has begun, stir well; cover tightly with plastic wrap and return to warm, draft-free place. Let stand until foamy, 2 or 3 days.

When starter has become foamy, stir well; pour into 1-quart crock or glass jar with tightly fitting cover. Store in refrigerator. Starter is ready to use when a clear liquid has risen to the top. Stir before using. Use 1 cup starter in recipe; reserve remaining starter. Store covered at room temperature until bubbles appear…about 12 hours…then refrigerate.

Use starter regularly, every week to 10 days. If the volume of the breads you bake begins to decrease, dissolve 1 teaspoon dry yeast in ¼ cup warm water. Stir in ½ cup milk, ¾ cup flour and the remaining starter.

*Do not use self-rising flour in this recipe.

NOTE: Start bread at night to bake in the morning—or vise versa. Before adding the milk and flour to the remaining starter, bake your bread and judge the volume.

Stay tuned for sourdough recipes with which to make the most of this starter!