Sourdough Starter

By amt2mf

Ingredients

• Flour
• Water
• Starter

Preparation

Step 1

1. If your starter has been refrigerated, you need to feet it before you use it in a recipe. Up to 12 hours before beginning a recipe, stir the starter and discard 1 cup. Feed the remaining starter with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Let it sit 4-12 hours before using in a recipe. Use however much fed starter the recipe calls for, and feed the remainder with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Let remaining starter sit at room temperature 2-4 hours, until bubble, then cover and refrigerate.

2. If you're not planning to use your starter for over a week, take it out and feed it once a week as described above. Start by discarding 1 cup of the starter. After mixing in more flour and water, you can return the starter to the refrigerator without waiting for it to get bubbly first.

3. Sweetening a starter:If your starter is too sour, reserve 1 cup and throw away the rest. Feed the reserved starter with 1 cup water and 2 cups flour. Mix well and let rest 4 hours before using or refrigerating.

4. Increasing your starter: To grow a large amount of starter, simply feed it 1 cup water and 2 cups flour, without discarding any. Feed again 2-4 hours later, and you'll have plenty on hand to use or to share.

5. Resuscitating a neglected starter: If your sourdough starter sits in the refrigerator for too long between feedings, it will develop a thick layer of liquid on top, will smell very strong, and will be sluggish. If this happens, pour off most of the liquid, throw all but 1 cup of the remaining starter away, and feed with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. If the starter is still alive, it will begin to bubble after a few hours. Discard about half at this point and feed it again with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup flour. Let it sit for another 2-4 hours, then use or refrigerate it.

6. When to start over: If your sourdough starter begins to mold, or the odor is not the usual clean, sour aroma, or if it develops a pink or orange color, throw it out.