Best Sponge Starter Recipes

SPONGE CAKE STARTER (FOR A SPONGE CAKE)

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl until combined.
• Cover bowl with a plate, plastic wrap, or lid and let sit at room temperature for 18-24 hours. You can mix with a wooden spoon a few times during the process.
• After resting time, proceed with your desired recipe.

SPONGE STARTER

Steps:

• Place the yeast and warm water into a medium size bowl and stir to dissolve the yeast. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or your hand for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth, and dough is elastic. The starter will be thick and stretchy. It will become more elastic after it has risen.
• Scrape the starter into a clear container with high sides, and cover with plastic wrap. Mark the height of the starter and the time on a piece of tape on the side of the container so you can see how much it rises.
• At this point, you have two options. If you plan on making the dough the same day, let the sponge rise at room temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to indent on top. This may take 6 to 8 hours. It will triple in volume, and very small dents and folds will begin to appear in the top of the surface as it reaches its peak and begins to deflate. Use it before it sinks too much.
• If you plan to make the dough the following day, let the sponge rise for 1 hour after mixing, then place it in the refrigerator and let it rise for at least 14 hours before taking it out to use. Be sure to compensate for the cold temperature of the starter by using warm water in the dough. Let it sit out, covered, until it reaches room temperature. This may take several hours.

ARTISAN ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• SPONGE STARTER (This makes enough for two recipe batches or 6 loaves): Mix all the sponge starter ingredients together using a KitchenAid with dough hook, on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until a somewhat elastic and very stiff batter has formed.
• Scrape the sponge into a plastic container and cover it with a see-thru lid (or plastic wrap). Let the sponge rest about 6 hours at room temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to collapse. The sponge will triple in volume and small dents and folds will begin to appear in the top as it reaches its peak and then begins to deflate. The sponge starter is now ready. NOTE: At this point you can refrigerate the starter and it can stay refrigerated for up to 1 month (just bring starter to room temperature before using).
• TO MAKE THE BREAD: Combine the warm water and yeast in your KitchenAid bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 3 minutes.
• Add the cool water and 1/2 of the sponge starter to the yeast mixture and mix for about 1 minute, breaking up the sponge. The mixture should look milky and slightly foamy.
• Add the flour and salt and mix to incorporate the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl until the dough gathers into a mass. It will be wet and sticky, with long strands of dough hanging from the dough hook. If the dough is not sticky, add 1 tablespoon of water.
• Add a Tbsp or so of flour and knead for 2-3 minutes, until it becomes supple and fairly smooth. This is a sticky, wet dough; don't be tempted to add too much flour. Turn off the mixer, and using a large dish towel or plastic wrap, cover the bowl while still on the mixer and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes (autolypse stage).
• Remove plastic wrap and knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes, until it is stretchy and smooth yet still slightly sticky. Dump the dough onto the counter and shape it into a loose ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn the dough in the bowl to coat with oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm dark place for 1 hour then transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for 8 hours (up to 24 hrs) to let it relax, develop flavor, and become more manageable.
• Take the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours, until it begins to warm up and starts to rise.
• Flour a work surface well and gently dump the dough onto it. Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, gently flatten, pressing out some of the air bubbles, and stretch it into a rectangle(You can hold the dough up in the air and use the gravity to help form the rectangle). Fold the top third down and the bottom third up as if you were folding a business letter. Seal the seam with the heel of your palm, then repeat with the letter fold. (You want to gently draw the skin tight over the surface of the loaf while leaving some air bubbles in the dough or deflate its airy structure).
• Now form the loaf into a baguette by rolling the dough into a loaf shape. The loaves should now be about 10 inches long. Place loaf onto a sheet of parchment paper (cut to fit your stone) with enough room for the other two loaves.
• Make the other two loaves. The loaves will be soft and slightly irregular in shape. Leave space between the loaves as they will spread as they rise. Cover the loaves with well oiled plastic and let them rise for 2 hours.
• Place a baking stone in the oven on the 2nd rack from the bottom and preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Diagonally score each loaf in about 4 places about 1/8" deep, being careful not to deflate them too much. Carefully slide them with the parchment paper onto the baking stone in the oven.
• Using a plant sprayer, quickly mist the loaves and the sides of the oven with water (careful not to spray the light bulb), then quickly shut oven door. Mist the loaves again after 2 minutes, and again after another 2 minutes. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the loaves sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom and the crust is a medium to dark brown. (If the crust is not brown enough, the loaves will soften as they cool). Transfer the bread to a rack to cool. Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving.

BASIC BREAD SPONGE FROM AMY

Steps:

• Whisk the yeast into the water. Allow to sit for about three minutes. Add the flour, mixing for another three minutes. Place in a nonreactive bowl and cover. Allow to sit in a draft-free spot until it rises and gets thick and sticky. This will take about eight hours.
• Use a spoon to stir the sponge down before measuring for use in a bread.
• Once risen, refrigerate for up to three days. Allow to come to room temperature before using. If it goes beyond three days, discard all but 1 cup of the sponge and make the recipe, adding the reserved sponge with the flour. Stir for two or three minutes before using.
• For all of the breads based upon this sponge, allow two days since the doughs require overnight refrigeration.
• For the best results, use as little of the kneading flour as possible.
• To allow yourself to slide the loaves into the oven, form them on a baking sheet without sides or on the bottom of one with sides that is turned upside-down.
• If you do not have a stone or tiles, bake directly on the baking sheet(s) upon which you formed the loaves (be sure to use either cornmeal or parchment between the dough and the sheet).
• All of the breads based upon the sponge can be frozen for up to two weeks. Don't freeze until the bread has cooled thoroughly - then wrap in foil and freeze. When ready to use, thaw them, still wrapped, at room temperature overnight. Then, unwrap and warm at 350 degrees for 5 or 10 minutes. Alternatively, you could warm the frozen and wrapped loaves at 300 for 35 to 40 minutes.

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD (SPONGE METHOD)

Steps:

• 1. About 4 hours before you want to bake the bread, make the sponge (starter). Place all the ingredients for the sponge in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Cover with lid or plastic wrap. Let sit about 2 hours. It should be quite bubbly.
• 2. After the sponge has processed, start adding the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle the 1 1/4 tsp yeast on top of the sponge. Then sprinkle (most) of the 2 cups Bread Flour. (hold back several Tbsp of the flour to incorporate as needed). Add the liquid mix of Olive Oil and Warm Water. Mix as well as you can with a large spoon. Working in the bowl, use hands to bring the dough together. This will take a few minutes. Continue kneading in the bowl, or transfer to a board to knead a few more minutes, incorporating some (or all) of the reserved flour. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
• 3. Place the dough in a clean bowl and coat the dough ball with little Olive Oil. Cover with lid or plastic until doubled. If you have used the right temp of warm water this should happen rather quickly....in approximately an hour, give or take.
• 4. When the dough has doubled, punch down and knead for a minute or so. Use hands to form a nicely shaped ball.
• 5. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a 5 qt. Dutch Oven. Sprinkle some flour on top of parchment. Place dough ball, centered, on floured parchment. Make three slits on top of dough, not too deep. I do this with scissors. Sprinkle some flour on top of dough. Cover with lid or plastic until doubled. That should take just a little less than an hour.
• 6. This bread is baked by starting in a cold oven. The oven should not pre-heat.
• 7. When bread is ready to bake, place lid on Dutch Oven and place in a cold oven in the lower 1/3 of oven. For non-black pot, turn oven on to 450 degrees. For cast iron, turn oven on to 425 degrees. Set the timer to bake 65 minutes.
• 8. At 55 minutes, remove lid from Dutch Oven. Continue baking, uncovered for the remaining 10 minutes.
• 9. Remove bread from oven. Plop loaf out onto a rack. Thump the bottom of loaf. It should sound hollow. If so, place top up on rack to cool thoroughly before slicing, about 1 1/2 hours. If the loaf does not sound hollow, you may finish it up by placing it back in the oven for several more minutes, baking directly on the oven rack (no pan).

FRENCH BREAD, SPONGE METHOD DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix yeast or sourdough starter with water and 1 cup flour.
• Cover and let rise overnight.
• Add salt and enough flour to make a workable dough (I usually use 30-40% whole wheat flour for a more nutritious final product).
• Knead, shape, and let rise until almost double.
• Bake in a 450 degree F oven for ~20 minutes.
• To acheive a better crust, preheat a shallow pan on bottom rack, and pour in 2 cups of water when you begin baking bread. This is one of the secrets to the desired crust on a French or Artisan bread.
• Enjoy!