Be sure you have read and understood the Sourdough Starters page. Before you begin these recipes you should have a good, working starter. All of these recipes use starters that can be found on that page. Most of the starters are interchangeable, however a few are not:

• Salt Rising Bread
• Amish Friendship Bread
• Rye Starter

are specifically for the indicated recipes.

Rising times can vary greatly with sourdough. Allow yourself plenty of time and do not rush the process. It takes time for sourdough bread to rise properly and develop the classic tang that makes it so wonderful.

If your starter develops mold or a weird odor throw it out and start fresh. Salt rising bread starter will smell bad, somewhat like sulphur or old gym shoes. This is normal!

Other types of sourdough will develop a beer-y odor, a yeasty odor, or a tangy odor. This is normal and desirable for these bread starters.

• 1 1/2 c starter
• 2-3 cups flour

• 2 tsp salt

• Cornmeal

Place starter in a bowl. Add one cup of flour and the salt. Mix well and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Stir in enough flour to make a workable dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead until springy and elastic. Oil the top and place in an oiled bowl in a warm place. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch down. Knead lightly before forming into loaves if you want a fine textured crumb or just gently form into round loaves or baguettes if you want large pockets in the bread. Place on a cornmeal covered surface and cover with a towel. Allow to rise for one hour. Place in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 400F. Bake for 40 minutes. After 10 minutes pour one cup of water on the floor of the oven to create steam.

Makes 2 baguettes

• 1 1/2 cups warm water

• 1 Tbs dry yeast

• 1 tsp. sugar

• 4 tsp. kosher salt

• 3 cups Rye Starter, measured after stirring down

• 2 cups bread flour

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• cornmeal

• 1 egg white beaten with 2 T.bs.water for glaze

• 2 Tbs. caraway seeds

1. Combine 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, and sugar, and let stand until double, about 15 minutes.
2. Dissolve salt in remaining water.
3. Mix in sourdough starter, then yeast mix.
4. Add the bread flour and 2 cups of all-purpose flour and caraway seeds; make a soft dough.
5. Spread 1 1/2 cups flour on the counter and turn dough out on it.
6. Knead, adding more flour, to make a soft dough. Be careful not to overknead. The dough will be sticky and not very elastic.
7. Form dough into a ball, and put in an ungreased bowl.
8. Cover with plastic, and let rise until double, about one and a half hours.
9. Knead, cover with towel, and let rest for 15 minutes.
10. Divide into 2 parts. Form each into 12 inch loaf. Pinch seam, and place seam down on cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 40 minutes
11. Preheat to 400F.
12. Brush loaves with egg-white glaze, and then slash with a knife.
13. Sprinkle more caraway seeds on top. Bake for 10 minutes. Pour a cup of water in the bottom of the oven to create steam. Bake 20 more minutes.
14. Brush again with glaze; bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

3 medium loaves

This is a sweet starter, used for sweet breads and cakes.

• 1 c Amish Friendship starter
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 cups Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 1 small Vanilla Pudding Mix - Instant
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup Milk

Cinnamon Sugar:

• 1 cup Sugar

• 2 tablespoons Cinnamon

To the starter add vegetable oil, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, milk, vanilla pudding mix, cinnamon, and salt.

Beat well.

Grease 2 loaf pans well, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, coating bottom.

Turn batter into pans, and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar onto tops of the loaves.

Bake at 325 F degrees for one hour

There is absolutely nothing like this. It makes the best toast ever!

Sponge:

• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Add the warm milk, baking soda, and flour to warm starter. Stir until mixture is smooth. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set into a larger bowl of hot tap water (about 130ºF). Let sponge rise in a warm draft-free placeuntil doubled in bulk, about 3 hours. It should be foamy on top.

Bread:

• 7 or 8 c flour plus additional for kneading

• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/3 c unsalted butter

1. Whisk together 4 cups flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Add mixture to the sponge and beat until combined well. Stir in enough of remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead, adding more flour as needed to keep from sticking. Kneading should take no more than about two minutes. Let dough stand 10 minutes.
4. Knead again,on well-floured surface, flouring your hands, until smooth 10 minutes or so.
5. Divide dough into thirds and place each portion into a buttered loaf pan. Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until it is increased in bulk by about one third, or it reaches almost to the rim of the pan. This will take about 3 hours.
6. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes.
7. Turn loaves out onto a rack and cool completely.

3 loaves.

• 2 cups sourdough starter at room temperature

• 1 1/2 c flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 4 tablespoons oil

• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 tablespoons warm water

In a large bowl, add sourdough starter, flour, sugar, egg, and oil, mixing well. Adjust the amount of flour for thinner or thicker pancakes.

Dilute 1 teaspoon baking soda in the 1 tablespoon of warm water. Add baking soda to batter just before you are ready to cook the pancakes. Fold gently into the sourdough batter (do not beat). This will cause a gentle foaming and rising action. Let the mixture bubble and foam a minute or so.

Spoon onto hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on the top.

serves 4

• 1 cup sourdough starter of choice
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg

Combine sourdough, oil and egg. Beat well.

Stir together dry ingredients and add to sourdough mixture.

Put dough into greased 9 inch square pan.

Sprinkle with:

• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour

Bake for 35 minutes.

That is really all there is to making great sourdough bread. A little practice and you will be making delicious artisian breads like a pro!

SInce sourdough does take some getting used to don't be discouraged if it is not perfect hte first few times. Continue to develop your skill. After all, even the bad loaves are great!