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Sourdough biscuits (cookies) - adapting a recipe for sourdough

Since I got my sourdough cake starter, I've been having fun experimenting with other uses for it.  I can be adapted to all sorts of sweet recipes, and as we don't eat a lot of cake, that is a good thing!

mixing up the dry ingredients, the butter and some starter
When I first received the starter it came with all these instructions about how to feed it and look after it.  This included feeding it every few days, not keeping it in the fridge, splitting it after a week and giving most of it away.  Needless to say I ignored these, otherwise I would ave no starter left!  Here's how to actually look after your starter:

  • You can keep the starter in the fridge, in a glass jar - mine has been living there for several months.
  • You just have to get it out every 2 weeks (or so), give it a good stir and tip out half (you can either give that half away, use it in baking or just tip it on the compost)
  • Then top it up with a bit of flour, sugar and milk (or water), stir and leave it at room temp for a day to ferment a little.  Then put it back in the fridge.
Adapting a recipe is easy, some things turn out a little different, but they are all edible, and have a pleasant sourness.  All I do is mix up all the dry ingredients and the butter or coconut oil in the morning that I want to bake and I add a little sourdough starter and stir it up.  Its hard to say how much to add, as it depends on the consistency of the starter and the dough or batter that you're making, just add what looks right.  I leave that in a covered container at room temperature for most of the day.  Then I add the other ingredients, extra milk, eggs and rising agent usually.  If the recipe says to use baking powder, I just use baking soda, as the mix is already acidic and the soda will react just nicely.

So far I have made sourdough cake, sourdough pancakes and sourdough biscuits.  If you don't know anyone who has a "Herman" sourdough starter, there are instructions for making one here.  If anyone has Herman to share, please leave a comment with your location and others near you may be able to benefit from your starter too.  Please also share how you use your starter :)

  
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Comments

  1. Lucy HouseMay 17, 2013 at 5:21 PM

    Can you use a normal sourdough starter in cakes? I've had various successes with sourdough bread starters, but am just reading The Art of Fermentation" and am determined to give it another go. I just don't think I can manage to look after 2 starters. I'm sure they are more trouble than children!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 29, 2013 at 12:24 PM

      Hi Lucy, I don't see why not, I haven't tried it myself though. I had a bread starter and I killed it through neglect. You could also split off some bread starter and add sugar to turn it into a cake starter. Or just maintain the one bread starter without sugar. Yes they are trouble, but at least you can put them in the fridge and forget about them for a few weeks!

      Delete
  2. KristyMay 17, 2013 at 8:04 PM

    lol I was told the other day that there are places in Europe that will 'starter-sit' your starter if you go away... I am keeping that in mind but also hoping to find a manageable way to have a crack at sourdough bread first and then other stuff eventually...

    thanks for the post :) keeps me keen to try it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 29, 2013 at 12:25 PM

      no need to get a starter-sitter if you're only a away for a few weeks, kefir and sourdough starters will survive in the fridge for a while if you make sure they have some food. Also, you can just scrape off any dodgy scum and try to get the rest of it to return to normal. If you're desperate :)

      Delete
  3. Bruise MouseMay 21, 2013 at 6:01 PM

    I really must get the sourdough up and running again.
    On an unrelated note, did you know you got a mention here.
    http://www.plasticfreejuly.org/blogs.html
    Take care

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 29, 2013 at 12:29 PM

      thanks! I had forgotten about plastic free July, I didn't know I was mentioned, I shall post about it soon...

      Delete
  4. Black Fox HomesteadMay 22, 2013 at 9:25 AM

    I really need to get a batch started. I tried it about a year ago and it just sort of flopped. I got busy and couldn't keep it going. I really like your easy instructions. Thanks for sharing this post at the HomeAcre Hop! Hope to have you back on Thurs.
    http://blackfoxhomestead.com/the-homeacre-hop/

    ReplyDelete

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