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Sourdough Starter

Sourdough Starter
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This is the best sourdough starter I have ever made. Keep it fed, and keep it happy until you use it again, and again, and yet again!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 package active dry yeast (2 tablespoons)
  • 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, leveled and unsifted*
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour*
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. In a 6 cup glass or ceramic container soften yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Stir in remaining 2 cups water, flour and sugar. Beat mixture until smooth. Cover loosely with cheesecloth, folded into several thicknesses and let stand at room temperature until bubbly. This may take 5 to 10 days, depending upon the temperature of the room — the warmer the room, the shorter the time for fermentation. During this time, stir 2 or 3 times a day. The starter will develop a strong “sour” odor as it ferments.
  2. When fermentation has occurred, refrigerate starter until needed.

To renew starter after using portions

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  1. Add the above to the remainder of the old starter for each cup of starter used. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Let stand at room temperature until bubbly, at least one day.
  2. Cover loosely and refrigerate. If not used within 10 days, stir in 1 teaspoon sugar.
  3. Repeat the addition of 1 teaspoon sugar every 10 days.

Notes

ALWAYS stir Sourdough Starter with a wooden or silicon spoon. Do not use a metal spoon.

Or use 2 cups all-purpose flour, leveled and unsifted, instead of whole wheat and all-purpose flours.

Some may want to halve this recipe. If that is the case, remember that half of 3/4 cup is 6 tablespoons or 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons. Half of 1 1/2 cups is 3/4 cup.

After mixing, the starter may be kept in a cold oven with the oven light on to produce an ideal climate for bacteria and yeasts to take hold.

Before using the starter for baking, remove it from the refrigerator several hours before baking to bring it to room temperature.

Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo / urbanlight

Find it online: https://simplygreatrecipes.com/sourdough-starter/