French Bread (with sourdough starter)

1 1/2 cup warm water
1 T. active dry yeast
1 cup sourdough starter
2 T. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
2 tsp. salt
5 - 6 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. cornmeal
Water for tops of loaves

Warm a large bowl. Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Set aside to soften 5 minutes. Blend in sourdough starter, sugar, butter or margarine, salt and 2 cups of flour. Stir in remaining flour to make a medium stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Clean and grease the bowl; set aside. Knead dough 8 - 10 minutes or until smooth. Place kneaded dough in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover with a cloth and set in warm place free from drafts. Let rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal; set aside. Punch down dough. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into two 10' x 3 1/2" loaves. Pull ends out to make them narrower than center of loaf, or shape into round loaves. Place in prepared baking sheet. cover with a cloth and set in warm place free from drafts. Let rise about 1 hour or until almost doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour water 1 inch deep into a 12 " x 7 1/2" baking pan. Place in bottom or preheating oven. Use a pastry brush and brush tops of loaves with water. Use a razor blade or very sharp knife to cut diagonal slashes across tops of loaves. Bake in preheated oven 30 - 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped with your fingers. Remove from baking sheet. Cool on rack. Makes 2 loaves.

Mom's Ward Relief Society

Sourdough Pancakes and Waffles

The night before mix together in a non-metal bowl:

2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup starter

Let stand overnight. In the morning add:

2 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
5 T. oil

Beat in 3 eggs. Dissolve 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1 T. water. Fold in mixture. Do not stir after baking soda is added. Serves 4 - 6.

Basic Sourdough Starter

2 cups all purpose flour
1 T. active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
3 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (if desired)

In a 4-6 cup plastic container or large bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat with a plastic or wooden spoon. Fermentation will dissolve small lumps. Cover with a lid, plastic wrap, or cloth (with vent holes to allow the starter to breath. Set in a warm place free from drafts (85 degrees). Let ferment 2-3 days. Stir mixture several times each day.

Quick overnight starter: 2 cups warm water, 1 T. active dry yeast, 2 cups of flour
Whole wheat starter: 1 cup warm water, 1 tsp. yeast, 1 cup whole wheat flour
Honey starter: 1 T. yeast, 2 1/2 cups warm water, 2 T. honey, 2 1/2 cups flour
Peasant starter: 1 T. yeast, 1T. nonfat dry milk powder, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cup warm water
Rye starter: 1 cup rye flour, 1 cup warm water, 1 tsp. dry yeast

To use: Remove start needed for recipe. Refridgerate remaining start in pitcher or plastic container that has an air vent hole in it. Replenish every 7 - 10 days by stirrig in equal amounts of water or milk and all-purpose flour. After replenishing, let stand at room temperature overnight. Return to refrigerator after use. If a clear liquid forms on top, stir back into the starter. Makes 3-4 cups.

To add to starter batter: 2 cups warm water, 2 cups flour, 1 cup starter batter. Combine water flour and starter batter in large bowl. Cover and place in a warm place overnight. Using the same principles as above (allowing to sit overnight), you may make many variations of the starter.

Mom's Ward Relief Society

Sourdough Basics

Sourdough is a natural leavening. Products made from sourdough contain few or no preservatives. They are an inexpensive source of vegetable protein, carbohydrates, important minerals and B vitamins.

Sourdough Starter
The older the starter, the more tangy the flavor

• Sourdough starter contains yeast plants and lactic acid bacteria similar to that which sours milk. As the yeast grows in the starter, it gives off carbon dioxide gas, producing bubbles. This is what leavens the bread.
• To replenish your start, add equal amounts of flour and water (or milk) to the container of starter. Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon. Cover the container with a cloth or plastic wrap. Puncture the plastic wrap 2-3 times to give the yeast air. Let sit overnight in a warm place. In the morning, stir down the mixture, cover it with a lid overnight in a warm place. In the morning, stir down the mixture, cover it with the lid and return it to the refrigerator until it is needed. Do not add anything to the start eeast as needed to add except for flour and water (or milk) and an occasional teaspoon of active dry yeast as needed to add more life to the mixture.
• To make a sourdough recipe, remove the amount of sourdough starter you need for the recipe. Replenish your start (as detailed above). If a clear liquid forms on top, simply stir it back into the mixture.
• If the liquid at the top of your stored starter has turned dark, you may still use it. You may want to pour some of it off the top before you use it in your recipe depending on how 'sour' you wish your recipe to be.
• If the starter turns pink or orange, unfavorable bacteria has invaded your starter. Discard immediately.
  

Cooking with Sourdough

• Temperature is an important factor in the success of a sourdough recipe. Sourdough must ferment and rise to a temperature close to 85 degrees.

• Mix sourdough recipes in glass, stoneware or plastic bowls. You may use a metal dough hook to mix ingredients, but be aware that prolonged contact with metal will change the flavor.
• Store sourdough in stoneware, glass or plastic bowls. Never use metal containers - there is a reaction between metal and the acid in sourdough starter. However, you may use metal baking pans if desired.
• When storing sourdough starter, the container should be large enough to allow for expansion of the starter to twice it's original size.
• Many modern recipes using sourdough also use yeast. However, if sourdough is the only leavening used, it takes several hours for bread to rise. Also, adding yeast gives a lighter, more tender texture.
  

Whole Wheat French Bread

2 1/4 c. hot water
3 T oil
1/4 c. honey or raw sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. instant yeast
4 -6 cups whole wheat flour

In a mixing bowl, combine the hot water, oil, honey and salt. Add 2 cups of flour. Then add yeast and remaining flour. Let rest 15 mins. then knead for only a few seconds. Repeat this 2 more times. Put dough on floured board and knead until smooth. Divide into two parts, then roll each part into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
Roll dough diagonally (roll tightly). Place on baking sheet that has been sprinkled with seeds or corn meal. Brush with a beaten egg or water, sprinkle with seeds or cornmeal and slash the top of the loaves diagonally.
Let rise until double. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake 35 minutes more.

Mom's Ward

Perfect Whole Wheat Bread

1T Instant Yeast
2 1/2 cups Hot Water
1/3 Oil
1/3 Honey or Raw Sugar
1 T Salt
6-7 cups Whole Wheat Flour

Combine all ingredients. Knead for 10 minutes. Form into loaves. Place in prepared bread pans and let rise until double.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 mins.

Makes 2 loaves

From Mom's ward's Relief Society