Thursday, September 17, 2009

Roses for you - and the mother of your sour dough!

Good morning ladies! :-)

Today is my husband's birthday so I've been busy in the kitchen this morning. He comes home from work for morning tea so I've just baked a Cinnamon Teacake and it's cooling on the bench while I write this and wait for him. I've also made a cheesecake for tonight but am waiting for it to set in the fridge before I add the passionfruit and strawberries on top (with some grated chocolate too I think).

As I promised last night I am sharing with you the embroidery design for the Roses coasters I made for my Stitchers Angel partner! If you go HERE you can download the file in PDF format.
I wonder if other Stitchers Angels will be receiving some coasters now? Of course you can stitch the design to anything...I think it would look lovely for the Hug Swap - after all, a bunch of roses is as good as a hug any day, don't you think? :-)

And now to help the amazing number of ladies who asked me to share how I make my sour dough 'mother'.
As you can see my sour dough starter has been fermenting away nicely in it's big glass jar!

To start with you need a BIG jar, and it must be glass, plastic or ceramic - never, ever use metal bowls or utensils when making sour dough or you will kill your 'mother' and have to start all over again.

Rye flour seems to be the best flour for getting a mother growing beautifully, and quickly. I live in the tropics so my starter ferments very quickly (by the end of day 1 I have it bubbling high in the jar!), but if you live in a cooler climate you will find it takes longer - perhaps even 3 days before the bubbles appear.

Begin with 1 cup of rye flour, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar (sometimes I use sugar, sometimes I leave it out - it's up to you, but it makes the fermenting happen quicker if you use it). Mix these together in your large jar with a wooden or plastic spoon - remember, never metal.

Put a damp (not wet!) cloth over the top - this can be a dampened paper towel, a piece of damp muslin - and leave a small opening before you secure with a rubber band or string, so that spores in the air can get at your 'mother' and start the souring. My weather here is hot and my damp paper towel dries out very quickly so I add a piece of thin plastic across the top before I add the band.

Every day add 1/2 cup of rye flour and 1/2 cup water...stir it well with a large wooden or plastic spoon, then recover the same way as before.
NOTE: If you want to make a few loaves when the 'mother' is completed you can add 1 cup of flour and water each day, but there are only 4 of us here at home now so I only make enough mix for a couple of smaller loaves therefore adding 1/2 cup measures each day.

Between days 5-7 you will really smell the sweet sourness in your 'mother'! Now is the time to use it in your bread. Always leave 1 cup of your 'mother' alive and begin the process again of adding more flour and water each day. It's a good idea to put your 1 cup of remaining 'mother into a clean jar before beginning again.
You can keep your 'mother' in the fridge from day 5 if you're not going to use it straight away.

Later today I'll do you up a couple of recipes for baking your sour dough, but for now I need to get back to the kitchen and begin baking a Shepherd's Pie for my husband's birthday dinner - it's his favourite meal!

Hugs
Jenny
xxx


25 comments:

Gloria said...

Thank you for the starter recipe. Some friends here in the US have passed around a starter but the basic recipe has always been a secret by the Amish we got it from. hope it works the same ... will be waiting for some loaf recipes...

Unknown said...

Jenny, thanks for the roses coasters design. I don't know how you fit all you do into a day. The tea cake looks yummy. Wish I was sharing it with you, and the shepherds pie. Happy birthday to your DH. My DH will be 60 on Saturday. We celebrated last weekend down the coast, the home of our 2 sons. Also dearest granddaughter was a whole 1. We had a wonderful time with part of our family!!! Seafood galore, which DH and sons love!!!

miss~nance said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe Jenny - have been wanting to try making sour dough bread as it is low GI and really very yummy. Waiting with bated breath on what to do next.

Oh & I simply love the coaster design. Will be perfect for a hexy coming up for a swap and her theme is Roses. I have also used your shabby roses in toehr embroideries I really do love them. thanks for being so generous to give these away.

Hugs & Blessings
Gail

Jeanette said...

Hi Jenny, Thanks for the pattern & the starter recipe. Cake looks delicious. Happy Birthday to your DH. Hugs, Jeanette

miss~nance said...

Me again - how big a jar would you need???????

Gail
gcom31@msn.com (just in case you want to email me your answer)

Chookyblue...... said...

thanks for the coasters..........happy birthday to Dh..........cake looks yummo


get cooking my word verification is "ovenchin" does it know you have been baking.........

Hazel said...

Thank You so much for the rose coasters ,can't wait to start them .

Allie said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. JENNY!!! Do you think he minds being called that? I hope he has a wonderful birthday!
Thank you so much for the roses design, I've already finished my mug mat or I'd use it for the hug swap - it's darling! I'll have to use it on something for ME. *grubby little voice*
Enjoy your bread, Jenny - I'm not supposed to have bread, but you enjoy it for me, ok?

paulette said...

Wow Jenny! You are incredible! It is your hubby's birthday and we get the presents! How sweet! Wish him a good one for us!
Thanks again!
Paulette

Narelle said...

Jenny, Many thanks for the Roses coasters pattern you are a jem. Please wish DH a Happy Birthday and i no that he will enjoy the tea cake and shepherds pie my mouth is watering as I speak (type). All that you fit into your day has enspired me to try and do more.
Hugs
Narelle

Dawn said...

Thanks Jenny, I had one years ago that a German friend started for me and now I can start again Yum Yum... enjoy the teacake...also WOW your coasters are fab...
Hugs Dawn x

IHaveANotion ~ Kelly Jackson said...

No fair....I'm headed to bed and now all I can think of is cheese cake and bread. By the time I could even get there it would be gone. There should be a law against punishing those of us on the other side of the globe....you have Tim Tams too....something is off kilter on this planet!!! LOL

Smiles,
Kelly

luverlie said...

Thanks for the starter recipe. It's much different than the one I had when my boys were small. I fed my starter 'mashed potato flakes'. Sounds weird but it was a terrific sourdough. I will try yours and see how it works.
As always the shabby roses are great.

Di~ said...

Thank You Jenny!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday to your deaest hubby.
Thank you for the recipe Jennny, I shall be giving it a try.
And the roses design also, I am sure it will be showing up everywhere. Its perfect for a lot of things. hugs xxx

Shari said...

Wow! What a process for the sour dough! I'll leave all that to you wonderfully gifted women in the kitchen and I'll get mine at the bakery - won't be as good, I know, but it will actually be edible!

Thanks for the Roses!

Crispy said...

Thank you Jenny for both the pattern and recipe. Nothing better than sour dough from your own batch of starter.

Crispy

Tineke Machiela said...

Thanks Jenny..:)Happy Birthday to your DH
have a nice day....
grt,Tineke

Leslie said...

Jenny,
Thanks once again for another cute pattern! Aften could probably use a coaster on her toy box/window seat/nightstand for her drink at night. She will love this! It also reminds me that I have to get out my sewing machine and finish up her bookmark :)

The bread recipe sounds yummy, too. I'll have to give it a shot sometime. :)

Leslie

Carin said...

MMMmmmmm sour dough!

Happy Birthday to your hubby!

jugglingpaynes said...

Metal kills mother. Got it.

Happy birthday to your sweet husband! I hope it was a lovely day for him!

Peace and Laughter,
Cristina

carole ann said...

Thanks for sharing the pattern and the recipe cannot wait to try both and I love what you've done for your Sticher partner, I have decided to you your roses pattern for a bag for my sticher partner, will post a photo when finished.
Again thanks for sharing.

Rita said...

thank you, jenny, for ALL that you do for 'blogland,' but do take some time for yourself every day to stay strong and healthy! be happy!
rita

Angela said...

Thank you for the Roses pdf. That was very sweet of you to share it with us! Hugs to you!

Joy Burkhart said...

Thank you so much for all your beautiful designs! I love all of them, but especially the 2 coaster designs. My sister wants some that will absorb, unlike the tile-like coasters you can buy (or make). Thanks for the sourdough recipe, too! Love your blog bunches!
xoxo
Joy