2 1/4 c Bread flour 1 tb Sugar
1 c Starter, at room temp. 1 ts Salt
1/2 tb Yeast (I use Fermipan or Red 1/2 c Tepid water (between 80 and
-Star) -90 F)
I take the starter out of the fridge 4 to 8 hours before I plan to
start the bread. I feed it, then let it come up to room temp as it is
digesting the feeding (1/2 cup A.P. Flour and 1/2 cup water). To
start the bread, I measure everything but the water into the machine,
set it for French Bread, and turn it on. I then drizzle the water
into the machine slowly while it is running. That allows me to stop
before 1/2 cup is added, should the flour have absorbed a lot of
humidity from the air. For an extra crispy crust, I spray the dough
lightly with water during the final rise (after the loaf-forming
stage) and slash the top if I’m in the mood for a fancy look.
Rye Variation
Substitute 1/2 cup rye for 1/4 cup bread flour. Add 1 tsp caraway
seed. May need a Tbs or so extra water.
Sourdough Starter
This starter is from the Food Processor Bread Book by the Editors of
Consumer Guide. Published in 1980 by Simon and Schuster. ISBN
0-671-25201-1. I have been using and abusing this starter for years.
1 cup warm water 1 package active dry yeast 1/2 cup instant nonfat
dry milk solids 1/2 cup unflavored natural yogurt 1 1/2 cups all
purpose flour
1. Combine water and yeast in large glass bowl, crock or other
non-metallic container. Stir to dissolve yeast.
2. Add dry milk and yogurt to yeast mixture. Beat with whisk until
blended. Add flour and beat until smooth.
3. Cover bowl tightly*. Let stand in warm place (85F) until starter
has developed a sour aroma and is bubbly, 24 to 36 hours. Stir
occasionally.
4. Keep starter tightly covered in refrigerator. *
5. To use, stir and pour off as much as recipe requires. Replenish
remaining starter by blending in equal parts of flour and milk*. Cover
tightly and let stand at room temperature until bubbly. Refrigerate.
Starter should be used and replenished every two weeks.*
In case you are wondering about those asterisks. Those are places
where I have learned to depart from the stated instructions. BY NO
MEANS, should you ever store your starter tightly covered! This is a
great way to end up spending at least an hour cleaning your fridge. I
keep the starter in an old instant coffee jar which has had the
cardboard liner removed from the lid.
This leaves a bit of a space when you screw down the lid for gas to
escape. Even so, I don’t screw down the lid all that tightly. I don’t
waste bread flour on the starter, all purpose is fine. I also have
given up feeding milk to the starter, though I occasionally use whey
leftover from making yogurt cheese. I have left this starter in the
fridge unfed for up to six months and found only an inch of booze on
the top that smells like cheap sherry. I generally stir that down
with a dishwasher-safe plastic chopsticks and feed the beast.
Yields
6 servings