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Natural Sourdough Wheat Starter

Natural Sourdough Wheat Starter Ingredients: orange juice, raw wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched water, bottled, generic Directions: In a small bowl, combine the o...

Natural Sourdough Wheat Starter

Ingredients:
orange juice, raw
wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched
wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched
water, bottled, generic

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and whole wheat flour.
Stir to blend well.
The mixture will be a soft, sticky dough.
Scrape into a large plastic container of about 2 qt capacity.
Let it stand, covered, for 12 to 24 hours.
Bubbles will begin to form visibly on the surface of the dough.
Uncover the starter and add 1 cup of the all-purpose flour and 1 cup of water.
Stir to combine.
Cover, then let stand at room temperature, 70 deg F to 72 deg F, for about 12 hours or until bubbles form on the surface.
Uncover and discard half the mixture or give to a friend.
Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of water.
Cover, then let stand at room temperature, as above, for about 12 hours, or until bubbles form on the surface of the starter.
Transfer to a larger container, if necessary.
Feel the starter two more times, adding 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup water with each feeding, and allowing the starter to ferment for 12 hours at room temperature between feedings.
Discard 1/3 of the mixture and feed one more time with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup water.
After12 to 24 hours, the starter is ready to use.
Store the starter in the refrigerator.
Feed it every four to five days with 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water.
If you like, at every fifth feeding, discard 1/2 cup of the starter and feed with whole wheat flour instead.
Maintain by feeding at least once a week, removing it from the refrigerator and adding 1/2 cup water and 1 cup of all-purpose flour (I would be discarding half of it or so, as if you do not bake enough, you will have a gallon of starter before you know it).
Let it sit at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours before using.