Sour dough starter / upkeep

I love sourdough. I have a starter going all the time. you can do so much with a good sourdough. You can make everythinng from Chocolate cake, carrot cake to breads and many things inbetween. My original recipe takes 21 days to make but I do not use commercial yeast in mine. The air has natural yeast in it. My recipe pulls the yeast out of the air. It is just wonderful and since each area has different kinds of yeast in the air, each sourdough will be just a tad different.

If you want to try creating a starter on your own, the following method is simple and will produce a good starter. In a wide-mouthed plastic or glass container make a small amount of batter using two tablespoons of whole wheat flour and about one and a half tablespoons of warm water. Use bottled water if your tap water is heavily chlorinated. Cover the container loosely and let it sit at room temperature (65 - 75 F) for 24 hours. The next day, stir in more flour and water in the same amounts as before, cover it and let it sit again. Do the same thing for a total of six or seven days. After the third day you should see tiny bubbles on the surface, which indicate that a yeast is developing and producing gas. After the third day you may use all-purpose flour if you wish. At the end of six or seven days you should have about a cup and a half of starter, and you can transfer it to a permanent container and refrigerate it. If you want to store a larger quantity, simply add sufficient flour and water to make the amount you want. On day seven you will have enough starter to bake a loaf of bread with enough left over to keep feeding for next time. Just remember not to use it all, or you will have to start over!

I remember my mother doing this when I was a kid. I'm sure there are recipes for good starters online. After that it's just a matter of replacing what you use. I prefer yeast dough myself, but I know there are a lot of people who love sourdough. Once you have yours established it's easy to share your starter mix with friends.

I tried to keep starter in my cupboard, and my husband tossed it in the trash. I got another cup and he did the same thing. I give up.

It's called a few things actually including Herman Bread and Amish Friendship Bread. I prefer to use large ziploc bags for it once you get to the feeding part but up to you. Here is the starter recipe I have: INGREDIENTS 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided 3 cups white sugar, divided 3 cups milk DIRECTIONS In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature. (this is when I put it in a ziploc bag. Much easier to work with instead of stirring just mush) On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 thru 9; stir only. Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2). Now for how to cook it :) Always the fun part and also this includes the part you want to give with the gift bag of friendship batter. Some of this is repeated from above but it's so you can copy and print it out easier: Feeding and Cooking Instructions: 1 cup starter (see below for starter recipe) in a glass jar or ziploc bag at room temp (do not refrigerate throughout entire recipe--it's supposed to ferment so don't put your nose too close either! Day 1 - Do nothing Day 2 - Do nothing Day 3 - Put starter in glass or stoneware bowl (or large ziploc bag) do not use metal bowls or spoons. Day 4 - Do nothing Day 5 - Do nothing Day 6 - To starter, add: 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, stir with wooden spoon (if in ziploc bag, smoosh and squish until mixed) Day 7 - Do nothing Day 8 - Stir with wooden spoon (or smoosh and squish) Day 9 - Do nothing Day 10 - Add: 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour-stir well. Take 3 portions (1 cup each) and put into ziploc baggies or glass jars and give to friends with recipe. To remaining starter, add 1 cup oil, 1/2 cup milk, 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla. Stir well. In separate bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 cup chopped nuts (optional), and 1 large or 2 dmall pkgs of vanilla Pudding mix (instant kind). Add flour mixture to wet mixture, stirring well with wooden spoon. Pour into 2 large loaf pans, greased, floured and sprinkled with cinnamon & Sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon & Sugar on top also. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Now I use different flavored puddings and it works out great. Pistachio is fantastic believe it or not. So is banana, chocolate and so on. Be creative and have lots of fun.

I had a starter I kept going all fall, winter, and spring, but it got too hot to bake during the summer, so I quit. 1 cup water 1 cup flour 1 package yeast 1 tablespoon vinegar (optional) 1 tablespoon sugar Stir all of the above into a glass bowl about 2 or 3 times the size of the end result. When it bubbles up to twice its size, stir down and put in the refrigerator in a glass jar with a lid that isn't metal or is metal, but has enamel on it on the inside. Two or three days later, put in a bigger bowl and add the above ingredients again. Wait for it to double. Stir down and put half in the refrigerator in a jar again. Use the other half in a recipe. Every week, do the same, add more, wait for it to double in size, then use half. Sometimes less powerful starter will only 1 1/2. Just keep watching. It will reach its max and then go the other way. You still can stir down and use 1/2 If it smells sour, fine, if it smells moldy or spoiled or turns color, throw it out. Keep in a warm place when you want it to double. It should bubble. Pancakes and English Muffins or Crullers are great. There are so many recipes on the internet that it is wonderful. 1/2 starter with white flour, 1/2 whole wheat with fresh sunflower seeds, raisins, walnuts and honey is the best bread you can make. Honey is wonderful in sour dough bread. Good luck and have fun!

littlered361970 has good sour dough recipe. try her profile to find it. It looks very comprehensive

its very easy to make , try it. blend a cup of warm water and a cup of flour and pour it into a jar.thats the whole recipe.you can use plain, unbleached bread flour and for good results all purpose and whole wheat flour.if you want you can add a little commercial yeast for it to boost.every 24 hrs, feed the starter.you should keep the starter in a warm place.like 70-80F is perfect.this allows the yeast already present in the flour and in the air too.temperature above 100 degree should not be there.