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In today’s vodcast, I chat all about sourdough, including how to make any baking recipe into a sourdough recipe!
Get to know more about using sourdough starter and making sourdough bread in the following blog post sections:
- How to Use Sourdough Starter Instead of Yeast
- How to Use Sourdough Starter with Quick Breads
- Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Bread Recipe Videos
- More Kitchen Pioneer Videos
These conversational vodcasts are available to the Kitchen Pioneers who have joined my YouTube membership community—The Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy.
Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
My comprehensive vodcasts are exclusively available to members of the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy, who we call Kitchen Pioneers. You can learn more about my optional YouTube membership community, including members-only videos and exclusive perks.
This membership community is optional. I’m still publishing my weekly detailed instructional cooking videos on my public YouTube channel that you can watch for free. (Thanks so much for being a Sweet Friend and subscriber!)
In addition to links to the latest Kitchen Academy vodcasts, this blog post lists some of the public videos that I talk about in my vodcast.
How to Use Sourdough Starter Instead of Yeast
If you have been with me awhile, you have probably seen my earlier videos where I showed you how to make a sourdough starter and sourdough bread. But what if you have a favorite recipe that calls for commercially packaged yeast, and you want to turn it into a sourdough recipe?
No problem! In today’s vodcast, I share how you can substitute packaged yeast with sourdough starter in pretty much any bread recipe. Now there is a bit of trial and error involved, and I delve deeper into this topic in my member vodcast, but a basic rule of thumb is that for every package of yeast called for in a bread recipe, you’ll replace it with one cup of sourdough starter.
But hold on! I know what you’re thinking. Mary, there are only a few teaspoons of yeast in that package, but I am replacing it with an entire cup of starter! Well, that is correct, and that’s where the trial and error part enters. But it’s easier than you think.
Generally, bread recipes have a flexible list of ingredients, including the measurements for flour. For example, many recipes may call for 4 to 4 1/2 cups of flour. So when you replace your packaged yeast with your sourdough starter, start with the lowest amount of flour and reduce the liquid called for by about a half-cup. You will most likely have a dough that is very consistent in texture with one that followed the original recipe.
Next, you need to think about the rise time. Whatever the original recipe calls for, you will have to—at a minimum—double the rise time. But once you master the correct rise time, you’ve created a sourdough recipe, and you’ll be ready to bake your sourdough bread!
How to Use Sourdough Starter with Quick Breads
Now that we’ve covered yeast-risen breads, what about quick breads? Remember when I earlier talked about trial and error. When it comes to adapting a quick bread to a sourdough quick bread, trial and error will become your best friend. But it will be worth it!
Trial and error play such a big role in adapting quick bread recipes because there are so many different variables when it comes to quick breads. The easiest way to adapt a quick bread is to find one that calls for sour cream. Sourdough starter can easily take the place of sour cream in any quick bread recipe because both are acidic. You can also adapt quick bread recipes that do not call for sour cream, but you will need to experiment with adjustments in both the wet and dry ingredients.
But whatever recipe you are trying to adapt, the question arises, do you need to add baking soda or baking powder? If you decide you want to add baking soda or baking powder, you will be using your sourdough starter more as a flavor enhancer than as a rising agent. And that’s OK if you don’t want to create a “true” sourdough recipe.
So what do you do if you want to use your sourdough starter as your rising agent and omit baking soda or baking powder? Well, there is a second question involved…will your quick bread still be “quick?” If you rely on your sourdough starter to act as your rising agent, you will need to allow your batter some rise time before going into the oven. How much rise time? Great question! Did I mention trial and error? 😉
Sourdough Starter and Sourdough Bread Recipe Videos
If you’re new to sourdough and you find the thought of sourdough a bit overwhelming, don’t worry. I have a number of detailed videos on how to make a sourdough starter, as well as how to make a variety of sourdough breads. I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step.
More Kitchen Pioneer Videos
Catch up on some of the recent videos in our membership community:
- Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy video playlist (Optional Membership Community)
Remember that you’re always welcome to post questions and comments on my videos at any time, and I’m glad to reply.
Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest
- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
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- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy (Optional Paid) - For more detailed videos and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook (Optional Paid) - Get a printed book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
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