Sourdough Bread

Makes 4 1-lb Loaves
1 c Sourdough Starter (below)
2 c Warm Water
2 c Warm Milk
1 T Butter
1 pk Active Dry Yeast
1/4 c Honey
7 c Unbleached Flour
1/4 c Wheat Germ
2 T Sugar
2 t Salt
2 t Baking Soda

Mix the starter and 2 1/2 Cups of the flour and all the water the night before you want to bake. Let stand in warm place overnight.

Next morning mix in the butter with warm milk and stir in yeast until until dissolved. Add honey and when thoroughly mixed, add 2 more cups of flour, and stir in the wheat germ.

Sprinkle sugar, salt, and baking soda over the mixture. Gentlypress into dough and mix lightly. Allow to stand from 30 to 50 minutes until mixture is bubbly. Add enough flour until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Then place the dough on a lightly floured board and kead 100 times or until silky mixture is developed. Form into 4 1-lb loaves, place in well-greased loaf pans 9 x 3 size. Let rise until double, about 2 to 3 hours in a warm room. Then bake in hot oven, 400°F, for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. and bake 20 minutes longer or until thoroughly baked.
Remove from pans and place loaves on rack to cool. Butter tops of loaves to prevent hard crustyness.


Sourdough Starter

Day 1: Mix 8 heaping tablespoons 100% whole wheat flour with enough warm (distilled) water to make a thick, porridge like mixture. Cover this mixture with a moist towel and let it rise on a draft-free warm location for 24 hours. You can double this recipe for your convenience and keep half of it in the refrigerator.

Day 2: Stir the mixture 3 times a day.

Day 3: Stir the mixture again 3 times a day.

Day 4: Add 3 heaping tablespoons of 100% whole wheat flour and a bit of warm distilled water. Stir this mixture again 3 times daily.

Day 5: Same as Day 4!

Day 6: The dough is ready when you see little bubbles coming from the mixture.

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