Feeding your Baby (Starter, that is!)

If you have the starter on the counter, you might need to feed it 2x daily (say after breakfast, after dinner).
If it is in the fridge, every 3-4 days would be fine.
In the freezer, it can last several months.  Bring it to room temperature and use as normal.


Before feeding, take out the starter you want to use in your bread, waffles, or whatever culinary marvel you are working on, or discard it.  If you don't want to discard your starter, freeze it. 


Feed the remaining starter equal amounts of flour and water.
so...
to 1 cup of Starter, add 1 c. flour, 2/3-1 c. water


If you want a more "sour" sourdough, add 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. water to your 1 c. starter.  If you want to use some other grains, use rye or whole wheat for up to 1/2 of your flour amount.  

Basic Sourdough Recipe (without the math)

Basic Sourdough Bread:

1 cup ripe starter

1 cup water

3 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

Add-ins

2/3 cups dried cranberries and 1 cup pecans

2/3 cup dark chocolate chunks and 2/3 cup dried cherries

1 cup cheddar chunks and 1/4 cup chopped jalapeños (oil)

Asiago Cheese, with carmelized onions and more asiago on top. (oil)

Try your own and follow the proportions in the sourdough math post!

Let it rise until you get a nice gluten development (window).  This will take about 2 hours for sourdough, all things being perfect.  Shape and rise again (45 min.).  It is fully risen when it does not spring back upon being poked with your finger.

Preheat oven to 500*.   Lower to 425* when you put the bread in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. The internal temperature of the bread should be 180* minimum for a plain bread, 200* for a cheese bread or one with a lot of add-ins.  Carol baked her loaf in a La Crueset.

FOCCACIA

oil the baking sheet.  Spread your square of dough on top.  When it rises, brush olive oil on, dimple it, add herbs &/or salt.  Bake

CIABATTA:

Make a more loose dough

Sourdough Math-- Carol's Handout

Baking Artisan Bread

Sourdough 101

What Does Artisan Mean?

Made by hand

What Does Naturally Leavened Mean?

Made without commercial yeast

Bread Spreads for Amazing Sandwiches

Spreads:

 Cranberry Spread:

1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons horseradish

Stir with large spoon until well combined

Sandwich suggestion:

Cranberry Spread, turkey

Honey, Mustard Spread:

1 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup brown mustard

1/4 cup honey

Avocado Spread:

2 soft avocados, mashed

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Sandwich Suggestion:

Avocado on a split foccacia with

provolone

sundried tomatoes

Turkey or chicken

Cook like  a panini

Honey Butter 

1 pound butter, softened

2/3 cup honey

Cinnamon Honey Butter

1 pound butter, softened

2/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Raspberry Honey Butter

1 pound butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup raspberry jam

Cranberry Orange Spread

1 pound cream cheese, softened

1 cup orange marmalade

1 cup craisins

Pesto

pesto 

mozzarella

tomato

basil