HOMEMADE SOURDOUGH BREAD & STARTER

Homemade Sourdough Bread & Starter image

There's nothing better than the aroma of sourdough bread baking. Fresh out of the oven slathered with butter, it's heavenly. Bea's sourdough starter and bread are very easy to prepare so you can make bread at home whenever you want. It does take time for the rising, but the soft and fluffy bread is worth the wait. We made cinnamon rolls with half the dough and bread with the other half. Both tasted heavenly. You'll have plenty of the starter left to share with friends.

Provided by Bea L. @BeachChic

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

STARTER:
1 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
3 tablespoon(s) instant potato flakes, dry
4 cup(s) warm water
1 package(s) active dry yeast (check expiration date)
BREAD:
1 cup(s) active sourdough starter
6 cup(s) bread flour (I use Pillsbury)
1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
1/2 cup(s) oil
1 1/2 cup(s) warm water
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt (optional)
***MAKE CERTAIN YOU CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES ON YOUR YEAST, POTATO FLAKES AND FLOUR

Steps:

STARTER: Combine well then store at room temperature for 24 hours in a glass jar or plastic bowl (do not use metal). Cover top with a dish towel to allow it to breathe. After 24 hours you can start bread. If you're not ready to start bread, refrigerate the starter. Cover jar or bowl with its lid. Feed starter every 5 days.
TO FEED STARTER: Mix 3 Tbsp instant potato flakes, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup warm water. Mix starter into this and let stand 24 hours at room temperature in glass or plastic (do not use metal). Cover jar or bowl with a dish towel to allow it to breathe.
BREAD: Take out 1 cup of starter and refrigerate the rest or give a friend 1 cup. In a large bowl mix 1 cup of starter along with 6 cups of bread flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil, and 1 1/2 cups warm water, and salt if using.
Grease another large bowl and put in the dough, turning once to grease all sides. Cover lightly with foil and let stand for 8 to 10 hours at room temperature to allow it to rise. Make sure it's in a warm room and out of a draft.
After 8 to 10 hours punch down and knead a little then divide the dough into 4 parts. Knead each part on a floured surface 8 to 10 times.
Shape into loaves by hand & place into 4 well-greased loaf pans and brush lightly with oil. Cover with foil. Let rise 8 to 12 hours at room temperature (in a warm room) out of draft. Note: One of my friends uses her oven (with the light on & keeps the door closed until time to take out) while the bread is rising.
Preheat oven to 350. Remove foil and bake at 350 for approximately 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter (optional) and serve warm or cold.
***CINNAMON ROLLS: Rather than making it into 4 loaves you can make 2 loaves and gently roll the other half out (I use my hands for this along with a rolling pin). Spread a thin layer of very soft butter onto the dough, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and raisins if you like. Use your judgment on the amounts.
Now roll up, jelly-roll style, and cut into an inch in thickness. Place these rolls onto a buttered cookie sheet and cover with foil and let rise at room temperature in a warm room out of a draft.
Remove foil and bake at 350 until golden brown. Make your glaze by using powdered sugar and either milk, orange juice (with zest), or lemon juice (with zest) and glaze each cinnamon roll while still warm.
My sister just makes balls rather than 4 loaves at this point (using the same concept) for dinner rolls. Or make 1 loaf, cinnamon rolls, and dinner rolls. Or you can make half dinner & half cinnamon rolls. Just have fun and get creative with this bread.