Wild Yeast (Sourdough) Biscuits

Cowboy style! There's proably no food in the old west that was more written about, talked about, and loved than sourdough biscuits. This recipe comes from The Old West Baking Book. Prep time does not include fermentation time for the sponge. Need a recipe for a starter . . .? Try this one Creating Your Own Sourdough Starter

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Yields: 16-18 biscuits

Ingredients

• Sponge

• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1  tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1  cup  sourdough starter
• 2  cups all-purpose flour

• Biscuit Dough

• 3  tablespoons butter or 3  tablespoons margarine
• 1  tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Night Before:
2. Mix together the sponge ingredients, stirring well in a nonmetal bowl.
3. Cover with plastic wrap (I place a shower cap over my bowl) and set aside until mix is bubbly, about 12 hours.
4. To Make Biscuits:
5. Melt butter and stir in sugar until well blended.
6. Add all remaining ingredients to the sponge and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until elastic or until bounces back when poked.
7. Let rise in a warm spot until double in bulk.
8. Punch down dough, knead lightly a few times to get the remaining gass out.
9. Pat out the dough until 1/2 inch thick and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter.
10. Place on a well-greased cookie sheet and let rise again until double in bulk.
11. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
12. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.