Natural Sourdough Wheat Starter
- Ready In:
- 96hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 4
- Yields:
-
1 batch
ingredients
- 1⁄3 cup fresh orange juice, about 3 ounces
- 1⁄2 cup whole wheat flour, about 2 ounces
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, about 15 ounces
- 2 cups water, 16 ounces 75 deg F
directions
- In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and whole wheat flour. Stir to blend well. The mixture will be a soft, sticky dough.
- Scrape into a large plastic container of about 2 qt capacity. Let it stand, covered, for 12 to 24 hours. Bubbles will begin to form visibly on the surface of the dough.
- Uncover the starter and add 1 cup of the all-purpose flour and 1 cup of water. Stir to combine. Cover, then let stand at room temperature, 70 deg F to 72 deg F, for about 12 hours or until bubbles form on the surface.
- Uncover and discard half the mixture or give to a friend. Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of water. Cover, then let stand at room temperature, as above, for about 12 hours, or until bubbles form on the surface of the starter. Transfer to a larger container, if necessary.
- Feel the starter two more times, adding 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup water with each feeding, and allowing the starter to ferment for 12 hours at room temperature between feedings.
- Discard 1/3 of the mixture and feed one more time with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup water. After12 to 24 hours, the starter is ready to use.
- Store the starter in the refrigerator. Feed it every four to five days with 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water. If you like, at every fifth feeding, discard 1/2 cup of the starter and feed with whole wheat flour instead.
- Maintain by feeding at least once a week, removing it from the refrigerator and adding 1/2 cup water and 1 cup of all-purpose flour (I would be discarding half of it or so, as if you do not bake enough, you will have a gallon of starter before you know it).
- Let it sit at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours before using.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
duonyte
United States
My screen name is a diminutive in Lithuanian for bread, so you won't be suprised to learn that I love to bake bread. In recent years I have been baking a lot of sourdough breads and have several starters sitting in my refrigerator. But I like to cook a lot of other things, as well, especially from various cultures. The cat wishes I would concentrate on meat and fish... I joined a few years ago but started posting recipes and participating in forums just recently - I wish I had done so earlier. Recipezaar is a great community! Right now I am a co-host for the Breads and Baking and the Eastern Europe forums - I hope to see you there!