Amish Sourdough Bread/starter

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 cups flour
• 3 cups sugar or 3 cups honey
• 3 cups milk
• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 6 -7 cups flour
• 1 egg

Recipe

• 1 for starter, dissolve yeast in warm water. mix with 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar or honey and 1 cup milk (lowfat or 2% milk is ok). this is day 1 of 10 day prep. use a plastic or glass container.
• 2 leave starter on the counter covered, and stir daily.
• 3 on the 5th day, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar or honey (or combination) and 1 cup milk. this is called 'feeding' the starter.
• 4 continue to stir daily. on the 10th day, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar or honey and 1 cup milk. starter can now be divided and given away or frozen. i usually wait a day to bake after feeding starter.
• 5 if you are not baking the next day, you can refrigerate starter, but bring to room temperature on baking day, or the night before, if frozen.
• 6 if you receive a cup of starter as a gift, feed immediately and wait a day before baking, to give starter a chance to ferment, at room temperature.
• 7 to bake: place 1 cup of starter in bowl of mixer. put mixer on slow speed using a dough hook, and add all ingredients. all ingredients should be room temperature.
• 8 add 2-1/4 tsps. yeast, 1 cup water, 1 cup milk, 2 tbls honey, 1/4 cup oil, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 eggs, 2 tsps. salt, approximately 6-7 cups flour. you can add more whole wheat and less , as preferred.
• 9 knead dough for 10 minute in mixer. dough should be slightly sticky, but smooth and shiny and should mostly all be on the dough hook when done.
• 10 remove dough from mixer bowl to a floured board and knead by hand two minutes, shaping into a large ball. oil inside of mixer bowl.
• 11 place dough back into bowl, swirl around in oil, and turn over so all sides are oiled. press down, cover with a clean towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled.
• 12 punch down and divide into two loaves. at this point, 1 ball can be made into 12-14 rolls. divide into even balls, (if you have a scale, about 2-1/2 oz. each) place on greased cookie sheet, pressing down to a flat disc. brush tops with beaten egg mixed with 1 tbl water and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.
• 13 cover and allow to rise for 1 hour, or until double in size.
• 14 preheat oven to 375° and bake rolls for 15-20 minutes, until browned.
• 15 for loaf of bread flatten 1/2 of dough into a rectangle, to remove bubbles and roll up to a log. roll two sides under and place log seam side down in greased loaf pan. brush top with egg and sprinkle with seeds. bake at 375° for 25 minutes. remove from pan and thump bottom of loaf. it should sound hollow when done.
• 16 you can bake 1/2 of dough and shape other half into a loaf, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. when you are ready to bake, remove from wrap and place in greased loaf pan. cover and allow to defrost and rise in a warm spot. brush with egg and sprinkle with seeds. bake as usual.