Years ago, I used to make a bread using a starter given to me by my wonderful mother-in-law. It is a fermented bread like sour dough only it is fed with sugar and instant potato flakes. This bread is also more forgiving that sour dough.
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| I just fed the starter. It reacts quickly and bubbles away. |
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| Now it's ready to make bread. |
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| 1 cup of starter is all it takes. |
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| And the dough goes wild. |
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| Once formed into loaves, it bolts again. |
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| Even in the oven, this dough continues to grow. |
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| It's amazing what one cup of starter can do. |
To make the starter:
1 Pk instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 Tablespoons instant mashed potatoes
3 Tablespoons white sugar
1 Cup warm water
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients in a glass bowel or jar. Add warm water. Mix until dissolved. Cover loosely with a cloth and rubber band or an unsealed lid. (It will explode if sealed) Let sit on the counter for 5 days. Stir mixture every day.
On day five, feed the starter: (Feed the starter every 5 days)
3 Tbs instant mashed potatoes
3 Tbs white sugar
1 Cup warm water
Let sit loosely covered on counter for 6 to 8 hours. I do this step in the morning. After that time, stir the starter and remove once cup of the starter to make bread with and store the rest of the starter in the refrigerator. In the evening, I make the dough and let it rise overnight.
To make the dough:
1 C active sourdough starter
1 1/2 C lukewarm water
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C white sugar
1 1/2 Tsp sea salt or kosher salt
6 C all-purpose flour or bread flour
In a large glass bowl, add warm water, starter and oil. Mix well. Add sugar and salt. Mix well. Add flour 1 cup at a time mixing well after each cup. This can be done in a stand mixer. Once all of the flour is incorporated, pour dough out onto a floured surface and knead until a smooth dough ball forms. The dough will be slightly sticky. Place the dough into a lightly oiled glass bowl. Lightly oil the top. Cover and let rise 4 to 8 hours. I let my dough rise overnight.
Punch dough down and knead for 3 minutes, Divide dough into 2 parts. Form dough into loaves and place in oiled bread pans. Oil the tops and cover. Let rise until doubled in size. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350* for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pans and let cool on a rack completely before slicing.
Notes:
Do not use metal utensils or bowels. Just like in all fermenting processes all bowls and utensils must be meticulously clean.
I use a quart size wide mouth canning jar to make and store the starter in. Canning jars are easily sterilized and are an easy option to store and mix the ingredients in.
Let the dough work overnight while you sleep. No late-night baking stealing from my precious sleep.
It's not just for bread! Starter can be used in pancakes, muffins, rolls, cinnamon rolls or discarded after the feeding process.
Plan ahead! It's worth it...
Enjoy,
Mrs. Smith
