All-Purpose Starter
This can be used in the construction of just about any yeast bread—strike that—any yeast bread.
NotesWays to keep a starter warm: A screened-in porch in summer would be perfect. If you don’t have one, park the jar under a desk lamp, or wrap a heating pad set to low around the jar, secured with a rubber band or two.
CostInexpensive
Total Timea day or more
Make Ahead RecipeYes
Dietary Considerationegg-free, halal, kosher, lactose-free, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free, vegetarian
Equipmentblender
Five Ingredients or LessYes
Type of Dishbread, yeast bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups filtered or bottled water, heated to 110° to 120°F (just hot to the touch)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 8 ounces bread flour
Instructions
-
In the carafe of a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend for 10 seconds, or until smooth. Pour the mixture into a clean, quart-sized glass jar. Barely screw on the lid—gasses need to be able to escape. Skip this step and there’ll be broken glass to pick up later.
-
Stash the jar in a warm (80° to 85°F would be nice) place for 24 hours. Use right away or feed it another cup of warm water mixed with a cup of flour and stash it in the refrigerator. Every time you use a cup of culture, feed the starter a cup of water and flour.
October 1, 2004
