Sourdough StarterBy Wessex Mill
Sour dough bread uses the natural yeasts in the air to create a batter (mother) that is continually fermenting by converting the starch in the flour to sugar then using the sugar to feed the yeast. The mother needs regular feeding with flour to keep it alive. If it runs out of starch from the flour it turns very acidic and dies. There is no need to add dried or fresh yeast, just use the mother instead.
About Wessex Mill
Their flour is different. It has been milled to produce top quality bread time after time. They collect wheat from farms within a 30-mile radius of Wessex Mill, before being ground slowly on the mill's 1935 built roller mills. The name of the farms can be found on the back of each bag.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
Method
How to make Sourdough Starter (mother)
1. Begin with a clean jar or container. Blend one cup of warm water and a cup of flour to stir. Place in jar or container and cover with lid.
2. Store at room temperature, about 70-75 degrees
3. Every 24 hours, feed the starter. Do that by discarding half the mixture and adding 1/2 cup warm water and 1/2 cup flour. Re-cover the starter after each feeding and put back into its warm place.
4. Within 3-4 days, the starter will begin to bubble and ferment. There will be a distinctive (but not unpleasant) sour smell, sort of like a brewery. That means the yeast is working. This process may start a little sooner, or it may take up to a week. In any case, when it bubbles and smells like this, the starter is ready to use.
Feeding the mother
1. Start by weighing the container so that you know how much mother is in the container. Weigh the mother and container, take away the weight of the container and then add flour to the container (the same weight of mother) and enough hand hot water (usually about the same weight of the mother) to make a stiff batter. As you are always adding the same amount of flour you can end up with vats of ‘mother’ so be prepared to throw some away before you feed it rather than increasing it too much.
2. Feed the mother after use and at least 12 hours before you need to use it again. If you do not feed the mother regularly it will die! It needs to be fed regularly every day to remain active. Store at room temperature.
3. If you do not want to use it every day you can feed it and then put it into the fridge with a lid on for about 3 weeks without feeding. When you want to use it again take it out of the fridge about 12 hours beforehand and feed. The mother needs to look active with lots of bubbles and a good batter like consistency.
Freezing Mother
The mother freezes well and it is worth freezing some in case you kill it. When you want to use the frozen mother, take it out of the freezer and stand it at room temperature until thawed. Feed it and then use it after 12 hours.