Sourdough Gingerbread: The Sourdough Project

The Sourdough Project:

I started a new adventure a few days ago... a sourdough starter. 
It was quite easy to start and was ready to use on the second day which I thought was fast.  My hopes are to use the starter in a lot of holiday baking this season. 

My very first sourdough recipe to make was Sourdough Gingerbread.  If you are like me you never new that gingerbread could be made with sourdough.(Confession: I had never even made regular gingerbread)  It sounded somewhat strange but I went for it anyway and it was delicious!  I gave the majority of it to some of my in laws (who are gingerbread conniseurs) and they raved over it!  Success on my first sourdough project experience!

Sourdough Gingerbread

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup molasses
EnerG egg replacer equivilant to 1 egg (or just use 1 egg)
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup active sourdough starter

Cream brown sugar and shortening and beat. Then add molasses and egg replacer or egg, beating continuously.

Sift dry ingredients together and blend into hot water. Beat this mixture into creamed mixture. Add the sourdough starter slowly, mixing carefully to maintain a bubbly batter. Bake in pan at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until done.
*I used an 8x8 square cake pan*

Starter:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. sugar

1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) yeast

2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

In a glass bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and yeast.  Then slowly add the water while stirring.

A lot of people make this confusing... I'm going to keep it simple.

The Basics:  After making the starter, cover it with a dish towel and leave it on your kitchen counter.  It does best in temperatures of 70-80 degrees... 100 degrees will kill the yeast apprently. 

You will stir the starter once a day... the starter will be ready anywhere from day 2 to day 5. (Mine was ready on day 2)  You will know this when it bubbles up and smells slightly sour.  At this time your starter is officially ready to use in baking.

From here on out you will do the following....
If you would like to keep it on the kitchen counter:  Every day you will stir the starter and remove 1 cup of the mixture (use it, give it away, or throw it away). Then replace it with 1 cup of warm water and 1 cup of flour.

If you would like to keep in the refrigerator:  You will do the same as above but every other week instead of everyday.  This is a better option for those that only want to bake every once in a while. 

*If the starter is in the fridge, bring it to room temperature before using.  And I've read that if your water contains chlorine or you have a water softener you should use bottled water... not sure on this.. I have well water.

More recipes to come from the Sourdough Project!