Baking

I love to bake!  I have since I was little.  I like to cook but baking holds a special place in my heart!  Probably because carb-loaded products are awesome! 😊  I have never been a bread baker but I think I want to try my hand at some sourdough bread.  All of my friends are doing sourdough starters and making beautiful products with it.  So let’s try together. 

How to begin a sourdough starter: 

Ingredients 

1 tbsp active yeast 

¼ cup warm water 

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1 cup milk 

1 cup sugar 

Always use wooden, glass, or plastic when preparing or mixing your starter.  

Start by combining the yeast and warm water in a small bowl until it starts to bubble (about 10 minutes).  Next, add all of the other ingredients into a Ziplock bag or a wooden/plastic bowl.  Then add the yeast and mix all together.  Cover loosely as the mixture will ferment and bubble.  If using a plastic bag, put all of the ingredients into the bag, close it, and then squeeze the bag until all ingredients are mixed.  You will need to ‘burp’ the bag occasionally as the mixture ferments.  This is Day 1. 

Day 2- squeeze the bag several times/Stir the mixture *remember to use a wooden/plastic spoon 

Day 3 - squeeze the bag several times/Stir the mixture 

Day 4 - squeeze the bag several times /Stir the mixture 

Day 5 – feed the starer with 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk 

*At this point you can either split the mixture in half and ‘discard’ half –OR- you can continue as is and split the final mixture into to 9 portions – 1 to use to make something, 1 to keep to continue the starter, and 7 to give away to friends to start their own batch. 

Day 6 - squeeze the bag several times /Stir the mixture 

Day 7 - squeeze the bag several times /Stir the mixture 

Day 8 - squeeze the bag several times /Stir the mixture 

Day 9 - squeeze the bag several times /Stir the mixture 

D10 - feed the starer with 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk 

*If you halved the starter: Half it again and use half to make something and the other half stays as your starter.  Start back with Day 1 and repeat. 

*If you continued as is: Put 1 cup portions in 8 gallon sized zip lock bags.  You will keep 1 to continue your starter and give the rest away with instructions to your friends!  The process starts all over again with Day 1.  The remaining mixture is now ready for use. 

I have included a recipe that I love called Amish Friendship Bread as an option to use your ready starter for. 

Amish Friendship Bread 

Ingredients 

• 1 cup Sourdough Starter 

• 3 eggs 

• 1 cup oil 

• ½ cup milk 

• 1 cup sugar 

• ½ teaspoon vanilla 

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 

• 1½ teaspoon baking powder 

• ½ teaspoon salt 

• ½ teaspoon baking soda 

• 2 cups flour 

• 1 small box vanilla instant pudding 

• 1 cup nuts chopped (optional) 

• 1 cup raisins (optional) 

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C). 

2. In a large mixing bowl, add ingredients as listed. 

3. Grease two large loaf pans. 

4. Dust the greased pans with a mixture of ½ cup sugar and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon. 

5. Pour the batter evenly into loaf or cake pans and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture on the top. 

6. Bake for one hour or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. 

7. ENJOY! 

Notes 

This recipe is very versatile! Use 1 or 2 boxes of pudding (pudding boosts flavor and moisture, but you can also leave it out or make your own). Add 1 cup of dried fruit, nuts or baking chips of your choice. 

Looking to make your Amish Friendship Bread healthier? Swap out ½ cup oil plus ½ cup applesauce or 1 egg plus ¼ cup mashed banana. Reduce sugar to ⅔ cup or replace with ⅔ cup honey.