Sourdough Starter

[TinkerbellSwt]

Has anyone ever done this? I am using Bette Hagamans recipe and she says it should look like pancake batter, mine is sooo thick, maybe it changes with the fermenting process??? I dont think it does though.. any help?

[Guest cassidy]

I tried it as well and it didn't work. That was my first attempt at gluten-free baking it I got very discouraged. I never got it right and only recently even attempted box mixes. Those are very easy and actually taste good.

[larry mac]

Has anyone ever done this? I am using Bette Hagamans recipe and she says it should look like pancake batter, mine is sooo thick.....

tbswt,

I've been using sourdough (or if one prefers "friendship") starters on & off for more than 25 years. Only recently gluten-free of course. There is no recipe per se. A starter is just flour & liquid. The exact amounts are not important, it's approximately half & half. There's no measuring really. Just throw a cup or two of gluten-free flour in a plastic or glass container with a lid, add about a cup or two water or milk and stir. I always add about a tsp of sugar to help out and speed things up but it's not neccessary. Sometimes I also use some instant mash potatoes. If it's too too thick, add some liquid. If it's too too thin, add some flour. Doesn't matter if it's a little thick or thin. Why? Because when you do use it in a bread recipe you are going to have to do the same thing with the bread batter, make an adjustment based on whether it's too thick or too thin! The same thing you would have to do even if you didn't use a starter. Whenever one bakes, one always has to be prepared to recognize and correct the too thick or too thin batter.

It's just like a lot of cooking and baking (especially gluten-free), you can't always go by exact measurements. Why land's sake girl, they didn't even use recipes in the old days. You don't need no stinkin recipe for sourdough starter!

OK, here's the part about the yeast. You have four choices:

1) You can use storebought yeast. This is by far the most popular route. Pretty simple, just add some yeast. A tsp or so should do it. However, this will give you the most generic, mild sourdough taste. A plus many would say.

2) You can buy sourdough starter "cultures", look on the internet. These are dried yeast cultures, so you'll have to do the same thing once you get it. I don't want to discourage you from trying this. There are many different cultures from all over the world. Didn't work for me though. I wasn't happy with the flavor of the one I got.

3) Use wild yeast spores floating around in the air. Yes they're everywhere. This is hit & miss. You may get a tasty one, or not. Plus, this can be a little trickier. Some people say that no matter what method you use, eventually the wild yeast that are the most prevelant in your area will eventually take over.

4) Get some starter from a friend (thus the "friendship" moniker). My best starter was derived this way. A co-worker brought it back from a family reunion in Kentucky. Had a really good flavor.

Whatever yeast you decide to use, once you get your starter started, most likely you are going to simply add some starter to a regular yeast recipe anyway (about half a cup starter to a two cup gluten-free flour bread recipe, approximately). That's what I have always done. It's just not practical, IMO, to use the starter for all the leavening power. And that was for regular bread, I don't think I'd like to try it for gluten-free bread, it's tricky enough as it is.

Anyway, just google "sourdough starter" and you'll find everything you need to know.

Good luck, lm

p.s., I wouldn't put too much stock in Bette Hagman. Let me know if you get a loaf of bread that looks anything like what's on the cover of her breadbook.

[TinkerbellSwt]

OK, I will let you know if anything turns out like it looks on her books!

So let me get this straight, use gluten free flour, like a rice flour, or my baking mix? and use equal amounts of water/milk and flour? throw in a tsp of sugar some inst mashed taters, bette says to use the potato water.. and dissolve a packet of yeast in it and ferment.

does this sound like a good way to start?

I appreciate your help!!