I thought I would post the latest views on my Natural Yeast Starter. It has begun to move a little quicker and I have had to refresh within the 24 hours. It is beginning to show true reflections of how the starter should look at this stage, albeit an early stage.
Before we start, let's have some cherries! Bountiful Spain is fantastic for fruit and vegetables, I do so love it here.
I hope I have made this clear to you all that a Natural Yeast Starter is not a quick process. However, once made, it works very quickly. When you keep back a little after measuring out the major portion required to bake with, that portion refreshed, is ready to use the next day. It is well worth the effort as the wonderful flavours within the baked bread made using your starter, are fantastic.
Starter Progression:
If you look at my starter images you will see a slight rise and fall, shown by the fill mark on the side of the jar.
Looking at it from above you can see slight separation, and the aroma is distinctly alcoholic. So, ready to refresh...
Firstly, pour the jar contents into a small bowl:
A heaped tablespoonful of flour is required.
Add it to the bowl and starter.
Put in a little water so that the refreshed starter is not too thick.
Stir well to mix thoroughly. It needs to be the same thickness as heavy pouring cream.
Put back in the clean jar, cover with a breathable piece of fabric, and hold it in place with an elastic band. Re mark the fill line and leave it to do its own thing!
Further updates in a couple of days, or, if anything significant happens. Just keep on waiting for the alcoholic aroma and slight separation.....then refresh, refresh, refresh!
More Interesting Posts:
@futaskuya gives us another version of my favourite pasta dish. I just had to include it - fantastic!
@awesome-seven makes an iced cream sandwich using chocolate chip cookies. A big favourite in summer, but useful to be reminded of this delicious treat.
@ura-soul has developed a delicious healthy salad dish which is so much more than just salad!
@zl138453 Oh wonderful, one of my favourite cakes; with the recipe, and method in images, of: German apple cake. All I can say is: Thank you.
Please take part in my Community Project. Place a link to your post in the comments box below if you would like your recipe to be included.
In the meantime keep 'Posting' interesting content, as all I want to do is:
and:
as well as:
As often as I can!
Way to GROW!! :) :) :) I love that you make your own starter!
I really liked yours too and will promote it on my next post today. Really interesting to have a bought starter against a made from scratch to compare the end result - bread! Have to wait a little while for mine though. X
Cool :) Thank you <3 <3 <3
Following along!! I'm curious, how long do you keep on refreshing this? (adding a bit of flour, etc)?
Love the cherries! And how awesome that you live in Spain!!!
Love the cartoon too. Where do you get them from?
Well, the starter, how long is a piece of string? From scratch it could take2 - 3 days to get any reaction. Then you have to wait for the yeast to be overtaken by bacteria as you want the flavour profile they produce in your starter (bread). Refreshing allows the yeast to rally and overtake bacteria so that your bread is not too strong in flavour, ie, sour. Plus you want the yeast to be active so your bread will rise. You have to wait for the starter to need refreshing before you refresh! I know this sound a little bonkers but it is the flavour that is really important otherwise, why bother, just use dried yeast? As the yeast gets stronger, they use the food up in the flour much quicker and begin to die back. You have to keep an eye on it and just refresh at the stage of separation and alcohol smell. I recon in the heat of Spain, if I wanted, and refreshed frequently, I could have a starter ready to go in 4 - 7 days! I have to hold mine back though because all people do not live in this climate. Hope this clarifies the situation further? Thanks for your interest. X
That's awesome. I love fresh baked bread. They say one of the nutritional problems in our world is that because so much food is made in a conveyer belt kitchen we've lost the nutrients that came with traditionally made foods. Thanks for sharing.
I quite agree. All of those additives!!! I rarely buy processed foods, or eat burgers I have not made myself.....and those hot dogs, eugh! Thank you for your support. X
Wooh I can give up coffee before I gave up hot dogs lol. Bread and hot dogs are my weakness. Lol
I think its because I have seen films of what goes into processed foods...not hot dogs but I still worry about how they are made. My foibles I am afraid. You carry on enjoying them, Ps. I can never give up coffee. I am addicted to it! X