Amish Sourdough BreadStarter - yeast

Method

• 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.
• Leave starter on the counter covered, and stir daily.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 white flour.
• You can add more whole wheat and less white, as preferred.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 white mixed with 1 tbl water and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.
• Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour, or until double in size.
• Preheat oven to 375 and bake rolls for 15-20 minutes, until browned.
• 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 white and sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
• Remove from pan and thump bottom of loaf.
• It should sound hollow when done.
• 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 white and sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake as usual.