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Sourdough Starter and Bread

Using potato flakes will result in a soft dough with a slightly sweet taste. With regular use, this starter will continue to gather wild yeast from the air and just get better.

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For the Starter:

1 c. warm water

1/2 c. sugar

2 and 1/4 tsp. dry yeast

3 heaping T. instant potato flakes

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In a glass jar: mix the warm water, sugar, yeast, and potato flakes. Let ferment on the counter for 2 days, uncovered (although I do put one layer of cheesecloth over the jar top).

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​For the Starter Feeder:

1 c. warm water

1/2 c. sugar

3 heaping T. instant potato flakes

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In a small bowl, mix the warm water, sugar, and potato flakes. Add to the 2-day starter, mix all thoroughly. Let this mixture stand on the counter top for 8 to 12 hours until bubbly, stir 

just slightly every so often. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days before making the bread

(3 days for a more mild sourdough flavor, 5 days for stronger flavor)

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For the Bread:

1 c. starter

1/2 c. oil

1 and 1/4 c. warm water

1 T. salt

6 c. unbleached flour

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Remove the starter from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.  In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, add 1 cup starter, oil, warm water, and up to 6 cups bread flour to make a medium soft dough. Mix well. Using a dough hook or by hand, knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Put the dough into a greased bowl. Cover with a wet dish towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 12 hours. Punch down dough, knead on a floured surface just to remove air bubbles.

Grease 3 loaf pans (regular size loaf pans, but if you have the wide pans, just use 2 of them)

with shortening; divide the dough equally in the 3 pans, gently press into loaf form, it will fill pans halfway up. Cover loosely and let rise 6 to 8 hours. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

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After using 1 cup of the starter for this bread, reserve 1 cup of the remaining starter and refrigerate.

In a few days when you are ready to make more bread, add the starter feeder mixture again to the starter. Stir well and leave on the counter overnight or all day (about 12 hours) and then refrigerate as above instructions.

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With the remaining starter, use it for sourdough pancakes, sourdough biscuits, sourdough cinnamon rolls, sourdough english muffins, sourdough bagels, sourdough waffles, sourdough crackers, and for sourdough pizza crust. 

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Cinnamon Raisin Loaves: (I add 1/4 to 1/2 c. sugar to the bread recipe for these loaves). After the first rise, punch down the dough, divide into 3 even pieces and roll each dough piece into 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle on a bit of confectioners sugar, and cinnamon to taste, sprinkle with raisins (chopped nuts are optional), roll up jelly roll style. Then continue with the recipe instructions. 

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