It’s been 5 days since I made My First Sourdough Starter (see here). This morning my container of starter was puffy, bubbly and had a pleasant sour aroma – that means it’s time to bake some bread!
Here is what the starter looked like on Day 1:
Sourdough Starter – Day 1
To recap what I did during the past five days…
- I made the starter (recipe here)
- Each morning, I stirred it down (quite vigorously)
- Any crust that developed was stirred back into the starter
Here is what the starter looked like on Day 5 (it’s hard to tell from the picture, but it’s very puffy and bubbly):
Sourdough Starter – Day 5
Today, after I stirred the starter – I placed 2 cups of it in a large bowl (the consistency is similar to thick pancake batter) and added:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white bread flour
Mix ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 – 14 hours, letting it rise until doubled.
Sourdough – Ready to Rise
Tomorrow I will shape and bake the bread….stay tuned! I’m so excited!
I love sourdough bread. Excited to hear how it turns out!
Thanks! Me too – very excited about this first attempt!
My mother used to bake sourdough bread all the time when I was a child. I loved it! Best wishes with your endeavor!
Thank you so much! It’s been a learning experience – one that I hope to pass on to my own children! Thanks for stopping by!
The starter looks right. it’s an interesting process. I think the bread will turn out well.
Thanks! It is very interesting – I am hoping that I will be able to keep the remaining starter going in the refrigerator to have bread anytime!
Looking good! Can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Thanks! Me too!
Sourdough is such a blessing! I love it! There is a great e-book I bought from http://gnowfglins.com/ they are a Christian organization and their e book is huge and full of tons of fun recipes. Highly recommend it, if you don’t already have something
Thanks so much for the link! I will have to check into it! I love cookbooks – I really can’t get enough of them!
Great blog- we look forward to following you baking!
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by!
Here in cold Tasmania I am following every one of your sourdough posts with more interest than I would have thought. I have been trying to get a natural sourdough starter going but it would appear my husbands wine beasties rule this roost and I no sooner get something going than it turns to vinegar. I have never contemplated using yeast as a starter. I guess everyone out there wants their own private San Francisco, but if yeast works and vinegar water doesn’t …I might just be going the road less travelled! I want to see a loaf of bread and then I will be sold! Thank you so much for this and your last post on sourdough bread. Again…I didn’t even think of using yeast for it and wasn’t too sure about whether you can keep the starter going once started with packet yeast…best of luck with that bread and take a lovely photo of it please so that I can let my mind wander
I surely will! I started with yeast mostly because I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to get a more natural one started – I wanted to get my feet wet with a success! I will be baking tomorrow – wish me luck!
I have a similar dough I “start” in the fridge; not sour, but ready when I want to bake a loaf. http://www.italianfoodandrecipes.com/5-minute-artisan-bread.html
Can’t wait to see how it turns out–looks delicious! I LOVE baking bread too.
That sounds amazing! And easy too! I will have to give it a try – Thank you so much!
Sure thing – I nearly always have it in my fridge. Makes a couple of large loaves or about 4 small loaves perfect for dinner.
What an undertaking, I can barely make my own regular wheat bread. So I know this shows how little I know about making bread but don’t you usually set bread to rise in a warm place? How is it that this one will rise in the fridge?
You are right – normally yeast dough is set in a warm place to rise fairly quickly. Yeast will however, rise in the refrigerator – it just takes much longer – and the slower the rise, the deeper the flavor.
ooooooh, i cant wait to see the bread!!!
Me too! It’s out to rise right now!
Eeeee! I can’t wait!!
Me too! I feel like it’s taking forever to rise!
hi there,
I’ve nominated you for the Beautiful Blogger Award! Check it out!
http://babushkamama.com/2012/05/24/time-for-sharing-the-beautiful-blogger-award/
Hi! Thank you so much! I appreciate it!
Following your saga with interest. Have you ever made the friendship cake? It also has a starter, much like sourdough, which you’re supposed to share with friends (hence the name). But I think I like sourdough bread more.
I have not but would love a recipe for it!
just finished step two on sourdough! Google friendship bread! if you end up sharing it with friends you will have starters coming to you all the time
its really good!
I will – thanks!
I looked for it but can’t find it! Sorry. Perhaps it’s for the best since I’m struggling to keep my weight down.
good for you – I don’t think I have the patience!
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When my children were small I baked bread from this very same sourdough starter three times a week. I’d put the loaves on top of the refrigerator to rise in the morning and bake the bread in the evening. It’s fantastic.
I love that! Thanks so much for sharing!
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