Saturday, September 19, 2009

Making Bread -- DAY THREE

This is the second chapter and Day Three of my bread-making venture (or perhaps I should I say ADventure?). To read the first chapter, you can click here.

When I checked my starter this morning, I was so happy to see that it was BUBBLING!

We have company, so I don't have much time to elaborate, but I fed the starter this morning and will make my first batch of bread late this afternoon (pictures to follow).

Also, a couple of you have asked for my Sourdough Bread recipe. I have posted the recipes for the "Starter" and the bread below.

I also want to thank you, my sweet blogging friends, for your encouragement and support of whatever I share with you ... from pictures of cows and goats to my latest decorating efforts. Your sweet comments always mean a lot to me.


Sourdough Bread "Starter" Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4th Cup Sugar
3 TBSP Instant Potato Flakes
1 Cup Warm Water
1/2 tsp Dry Yeast

Instructions:

Mix sugar, potato flakes, warm water, and yeast with wooden spoon in one-quart glass jar. Let stand out of refrigerator, loosely covered, for 2 or 3 days, or until it ferments.

Store covered in refrigerator. Must be fed every 3-7 days for optimum freshness. Be sure and use wooden, glass, or ceramic bowls instead of metal.

SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE

STEP ONE:

Put initial starter in refrigerator for 3 to 7 days. You must wait at least 3 days before feeding, but not over 7 days. Feed with the following:

1/2 to 3/4 Cup Sugar
3 TBSP Instant Mashed Potato Flakes
1 Cup Warm Water

Mix well and add to starter. Let starter stand out of refrigerator (after feeding) 8 to 12 hours. Starter will be very bubbly.

Take out one cup to make bread and return remaining starter to refrigerator. Keep in refrigerator 3 to 7 days and feed again. If you are not making bread, you can throw one cup away, but you can only feed the starter 2 or 3 times without making bread. This is to avoid depletion of starter.

STEP TWO:

In a large bowl, make stiff batter of:

1 Cup Starter
1/3rd Cup Sugar (or less, if too sweet)
1/2 Cup Corn Oil
1-1/2 Cups Warm Water
6 Cups Plain Flour (bread flour is better)
1 TBSP Salt

(I use my electric mixer with a dough attachment to mix mine.)

Grease another large bowl; put dough in and turn over (oil side up). Cover lightly with foil and let stand overnight. Do not refrigerate.

STEP THREE:

Next morning, punch down dough and knead 8 to 10 times on a floured board. Divide into 3 equal parts for bread. Put into greased loaf pans, brush lightly with oil. Let rise 4 to 5 hours (or all day is okay). Dough rises very slowly. Cover with wax paper and place in a warm place to rise.

STEP FOUR:

Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Rolls will only take 20 minutes or so, and each oven varies.

Remove and refrigerate bread, or freeze.

4 comments:

Marjorie (Molly) Smith said...

Doesn't those sweet bubbles make your heart sing. I always feel better when I see them.
Have fun with your Company we will be waiting for our slice of bread...Hummm I can smell it already.
Molly

southerninspiration said...

I used to make this every week, and my middle son LOVED it. We got to where we called it David's bread, because he missed it so much when I didn't make it every week. I should plan to make some when he comes home for the holidays. I love it because it's so easy and tastes so good!

Suzanne

Tonja said...

I know that making bread is a satisfying thing to do. I really can appreciate that...BUT...having my food ingredients moving and blowing bubbles, rising and waiting to be fed? Not for me!
I am sure it will be delicious, though, and smell divine. Good Luck.

Linda S H said...

Hi Janie,

Thanks for posting this recipe! I used to have it many years ago! You wouldn't have the recipe for the "Friendship Cake" would you? It works just like the starter for this bread, only it's a cake!