Sourdough Starter # 2: How To

Sourdough Starter # 2: How To

Hi everybody :)

Well, this is starter # 2, this recipe is very similar to the Herman Sourdough starter but does  not include sugar, salt, or milk in the starter mixture. It's adapted from The Taste of Home Baking Book  and take only 2 days to ferment whereas the Herman starter take 3 days.

Sourdough Starter                                                                Starter Food (see key steps)
 
PREP: 10 min. + standing YIELD: about 3 cups                    1 part water
1 package (4 ounce) active dry yeast                                       1 part flour
2 cups warm water(110°to 115°)
2 cups all- purpose flour                                                           

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water;  let stand for 5 minutes. 

 Add flour; stir until smooth. 

Cover loosely with a clean towel. Let stand in a warm place (80°- 90°) to for 48 hours; stir several times daily (the mixture will become bubbly and rise, have a yeasty sour aroma and a transparent yellow liquid will form on the top).

Use starter for your favorite sourdough recipes. Refer to the key steps in maintaining your starter.

Making a starter is pretty basic and simple. The main key steps are: 

Key Steps for a Successful Starter

1.  Prepare your starter in a sterilized non-metal container.  Starters contain acid that can react with metal. Use a large sterilized container made of glass, ceramic or plastic, because starter increase in volume and a small container will overflow.

 2.  To use, bring starter  to room temperature (80° to 90°) (2 -12  hours); this could take hours so plan ahead. After using, replenish, feed, or nourish the starter by using equal amounts of starter food to restore the volume (in this case use equal parts of water and flour) (For example, if 1/2 cup starter was removed for a recipe, combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir into starter.) Let starter stand in a warm place (80° to 90°) until light and bubbly, stir starter cover and refrigerate. (This could take hours also.)

3.  Store starter in refrigerator. If starter is not use in 2 weeks, it need to be feed to keep active, To nourish, remove half of the starter and share with a friend or discard. Move remaining starter to a large bowl, add equal parts water and flour and repeat the latter part of step #2
 
4.  If used and replenished or nourished at least once every 2 weeks, the starter should remain active indefinitely.

5. Starter should have a yeasty sour smell. Discard a starter if it develops an offensive odor, changes color or becomes slimy or Stringy, which means it's spoiled. Sterilize the storage container before using it for a new batch of starter.

I will be sharing what I made with this starter recipe soon, so stay tune :)

Feeding the starter











 

 Starter after feeding













What I think:

Although this experience was a bit tiresome with the days and hours of waiting, the results was well worth it. "NO PAIN, NO GLORY!"

ENJOY! Come...

Linked to:  

Mop Up Mondays - I Should be Mopping the Floor  
Show Me What You Got Tuesday's at ODH
Tuesday-Talent-Show:  Chef In Training

Sourdough Starter # 1: How To

Sourdough Starter # 1: How To

          Herman Sourdough Starter "Passing the Cup"

 Hi everybody :)

I been very busy around here lately.

And I been making sourdough starters. Two starters to be exact, the first starter recipe is the Herman Sourdough starter the second is a starter from Taste of Home. After during some intense reading and practicing, today I'm ready to sharing with you the steps in making your own Sourdough Starters.

The story behind the Herman Sourdough Starter is that it was pass around in the South like gossip :) In the spirit of Southern hospitality, a cup of the starter was given to a friend with recipes and instructions on how to use and care for it. In turn, the friend would pass it along to another one with the same information and so on. 

Being a southern and in hopes of keeping the tradition going I bring you my "cup" of sourdough starter :)

Herman Sourdough Starter adapted Southern Living 1982 Annual Recipes

1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cup, warm water (105° to 115°)
Herman Food (recipe follows)

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water: let stand 5 minutes. Combine next 3 ingredients in a medium-size nonmetal bowl; mix well. Gradually stir in 2 cups warm water. Add yeast mixture, and mix well. 

Cover loosely with plastic wrap or cheesecloth and let stand in a warm place (80° to 85°) for 72 hours, stirring 2 to 3 times daily.  The pictures below are how it look 

After 3 Days: Herman Sourdough Starter 

The bubbly mixture before stirring the mixture have separated, it okay because that what it do. You would notice little bubbles will appear at the top.

Below: This is the side view of the separated mixture, notice the transparent yellowy part is on top and the white part is on the bottom. Yeast in action :)

Just stir the mixture to combine. Do this several times a day or at least 3.

To Use: Remove sourdough starter from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour. Stir well, and measure amount of starter needed for recipe. Replenish remaining starter with Herman Food, and return to refrigerator; use within 2 to 14 days, stirring daily.

Repeat the procedure for using and replenishing Herman
Yield: about 7 cups.

Herman Food:
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

Stir all ingredients into sourdough starter, and refrigerate. 
Herman Sourdough Starter Food, mixing








Herman Sourdough Starter after food added.






Note: Herman Sourdough Starter may be frozen. Before using, let thaw at room temperature until mixture is bubbly (about 5 hours). 

To freeze remove desired amount you wish to freeze. Place in freezer containers. Date and label. Thaw and use within 1 year.

 I measure out the starter, I'm freezing.

 The two smaller container are for the freezer the middle container is for more yummy bread recipes I will be posting later, so stay tune :) 

What I think:

Although this experience was a bit tiresome with the days and hours of waiting, the results was well worth it. "NO PAIN, NO GLORY!"

ENJOY! Come again... 

Linked To:
The Bulletin Board @ Mrs Happy Homemaker
Jaime @ Mom's Test Kitchen

Cranberry Muffins from a Basic Batter: Breakfast Is Served

Cranberry Muffins from a Basic Batter:  Breakfast Is Served

Hi everybody :)

Before I get started today...

 Make A Difference:  Justice for Brandon C. Jackson

I like to call your attention to the new widget I have on the top left side of my blog. It's about the injustice treatment of Brandon C. Jackson. I don't know him, but his story have touched my heart.  I like to implore you to take a little time, if you will, to read his story, sign his petition and pass it along.  

"Welcome to another Breakfast Is Served Sunday!" If you're just tuning  in to my post, every Sunday I post a Breakfast Is Served. Last week breakfast Cherry Berry Crescent Rolls was made from a Basic Roll Dough  today's post is made from a base recipe too. This basic muffin batter can be use to create whatever flavor of muffins you desired. I love recipes like these, I'm sure you will too. Now, let's get it started...
                BASIC MUFFIN BATTER  adapted   The Woman 's Day Cookbook: Great Recipes, Bright Ideas, And Healthy Choices for Today's Cook
 
 Makes 12 muffins

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time 17 minutes plus cooling

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
I added  1 teaspoon lemon zest
 
Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or line with foil (not paper) baking cups.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and buttermilk until blended. Stir in the flour mixture just until blended.

Follow the directions for the variation you have chosen and divide the batter among the muffin cups.
 
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out onto the rack and cool completely.

I divided the batter in half. Did 1/2 Cranberry Muffins, 1/2 Cranberry Up-Down Muffins

I prepared the pan for each half . For Jumbo Muffin see "What I Did ..." section below.

 With filling below, I mix as directed adding 1 teaspoon lemon zest to it. I also added about 3 Tablespoons of Cherry Berries Blend, sniped; to the filling.

  CRANBERRY MUFFINS  

Mix 3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg into the basic batter.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups and top each with 1 pecan half. Bake and cool as directed.

OR  

CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN MUFFINS

Thoroughly grease muffin pan cups (do not line with paper cups). Mix 3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg until well blended.

Divide the mixture among the muffin cups. Press 1 pecan half, top side down, Into the cranberries. Add 1/2 tea- spoon grated nutmeg to the flour in step 2 of the basic batter. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and spread gently to cover the cranberries. Bake as directed. Turn out the muffins after cooling in the pan for 15 minutes.

What I Did and/or Think:
The changes I made are in Bold, Italic, and Purple.

This recipe was designed to make regular-sized muffins, but I like my muffins BIG : )  So I baked these in my jumbo muffin pan at 400 degree for 10 minutes, reduced oven temperature to 350 and baked 15 - 18 more minutes.

The Taste: The taste of these muffin reminds me of pound cake. They were tender and buttery with a nice tangy from the buttermilk and a burst of citrus from the lemon zest addition. I also LOVE the taste of the cranberry filling. Whether you swirled the filling into the batter or  layer the bottom, to produce the lovely up-down-look these muffins would make a wonderful addition to your breakfast table. MOST DEFINITELY REPEAT.

 












ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:
BYOB @ girlichef: BYOB - Bake Your Own Bread
Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party @ Addicted Recipes 
Nifty Thrifty Sunday  
Everyday Moms Meals 
Think Pink Sunday @ Flamingo Toes Get Your PartyOn
Sweet 2 Eat Baking: Sugar & Slice Sunday  
 Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks
 The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
 Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms 
Just Something I Whipped Up
Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands
Jaime @ Mom's Test Kitchen
Carole's Chatter: Muffin & Cupcake Links Food Friday