Sourdough Starter

Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 2 c. all-purpose flour/span>
• 1 T. sugar or honey

1.  Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water.

2.  Whisk together the remaining warm water, flour, sugar or honey, and dissolved yeast mixture.

3.  Cover the sourdough starter with cheesecloth and let stand at room temperature for 5-10 days, stirring three times daily. The starter is ready for use when it smells fermented and the vigorous bubbling ceases.

When your sourdough starter is done fermenting, you may store it in the refrigerator in a covered glass container.  I use a mason jar.

How to Use Your Sourdough Starter:

1.  To use your starter, first stir it up. Then measure out the amount of cold starter that you need, and then let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding with your recipe.

2.  Replenish your starter by adding 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, 3/4 c. water, and 1 t. sugar or honey to remaining starter. Let stand at room temperature for a day, and then you can cover and place it back in the refrigerator.

NOTE:  If you don't use your starter within 10 days, stir in an additional teaspoon of sugar or honey every 10 days to feed the yeast.

Sourdough Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 T. sugar
• 2 t. salt
• 2 1/4 t. active dry yeast
• 3/4 c. milk, warmed
• 1.5 T. butter, softened
• 1 c. sourdough starter (recipe posted on this blog) 

Bread Machine Directions:

1. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to your bread pan. If your bread machine has a warming cycle, turn it off and start a basic bread cycle to stir these ingredients together. I use the dark crust setting for this recipe
2. Slowly add warm milk and softened butter to dry mixture while the bread machine is still stirring. Then do the same with the sourdough starter.
3. Add the remaining 2-1/2 cups of flour slowly to the wet mixture. It may seem like too much flour, as the dough will get very crumbly, but it will all get kneaded into the bread. I've found that it helps to press down on the dough as the machine is still kneading to get it to pick up all of the bits of dough.
4. Close the top of the bread machine and let it finish out its cycle. When the bread is done baking, remove it from the pan immediately and let it cool on a rack to prevent it from getting soggy.

Oven Directions:

1. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast to a mixing bowl.
2. Slowly stir in warm milk and softened butter to dry mixture. Then do the same with the sourdough starter.
3. Mix remaining 2-1/2 cups of flour slowly into the wet mixture. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes.
4. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning to make sure it's coated, and let rise for one hour.
5. Punch down and let rest for 15 minutes. Then shape into a loaf and place in a greased 2-lb. loaf pan. Allow to rise for another hour.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.

Makes one 2-lb. sourdough loaf.

100 % Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Here is a recipe that I promised to a wonderful customer named Lois. 

This recipe was given to me by Mrs. Ramer. (Thank you!!) This is BY FAR the BEST 100% whole wheat bread recipe I've ever found.

Yields 6 loaves

a 8 cups whole wheat flour (I use Prairie Gold Hard White Spring Wheat, fresh ground)
b 6 1/2 cups hot water (not boiling)
c 1 cup oil or butter
d 1 cup honey
e 2 Tbs dough enhancer
f 2 Tbs salt
g 3-4 Tbsp instant yeast
h 7-10 cups additional wheat flour

In mixer bowl (I use a Bosch), put ingredients a-g (in order listed), with the yeast being on top. Knead on speed one while adding additional flour in your bowl. Add only enough until the dough basically cleans the sides of the bowl.

Turn off machine. Grease your hands and counter with oil or butter. Take out all your dough and slam the entire amount on your greased counter 7 times. Cut dough into 6 equal pieces.

Slam each loaf 7 times on counter again. (This gets the air bubbles out) Shape into loaves and place each loaf in a greased bread pan. Let rise until doubled.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

If you are using this recipe in a bread machine, you will want to cut this recipe down to the proper proportions, depending on if it is for a 1.5 lb loaf or a 2 lb loaf.