Yesterday’s loaf of Dutch Oven wild bread (no store-bought yeast used, just 1/2 cup of my refrigerator sourdough mother) was so happy when it hit the oven it exploded sideways. This loaf was destined for my daughter’s household. I have perfected this kind of loaf so that it’s airy inside but super moist by working with a more wet dough when I knead and fold it. If you haven’t yet toyed with the idea of nurturing a sourdough mother, I encourage you to take the leap.
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
I have a really good friend who loves sourdough bread and has been experimenting with many recipes lately. She talks with me all the time about what’s working and what she doesn’t like. I know she doesn’t have a sourdough mother, so I will have to encourage her to give it a try.
Hello, I love your magazine and now your wild bread book. I made a batch with the mother. Your book called for 5-6 cups. Also it did call for any kneading. Is this correct?
It sounds like you’re in the beginner’s section. If so, that’s correct, there isn’t any kneading required. It’s more of a batter bread in the beginning section than something you can handle with your hands and knead. Right now, you’re creating your mother and baking batter breads, etc. along the way. Continue reading and doing and it’ll all make sense and come together for you! In no time at all, you’ll have a mature “refrigerator” mother that you’ll only feed once per week.
I have the Wild Bread recipe book by Mary Jane Butters but am confused on the amount of starter. I would like to use my refrigerator starter as you suggested 1/2 cup. I assume it is feed 1st. But how does that work with the recipes in the book that say 6 cups? I love the book and all the options for different flours but wanted to use my starter from the refrigerator. My regular recipes uses 110 gm of starter. Any advice to use the small starter with the book?
It sounds like you want to make one of the Beginner “batter” Breads, starting on page 20, or perhaps some of the Quick & Easy Sourdough Enhanced Treats, starting on page 172.
Here’s what I do when I need several cups of activated batter.
The night before I want to bake, I take 1/2 cup of mother from my refrigerator mother and put it in an 8-cup pyrex container (I like that using a pyrex means it’s essentially pre-measured and ready to go for the next day; I also like the handle for giving the flour/water mixture a hearty stir). I then feed my mother 3/8 cup flour and 1/4 water, stir, and put her back in the fridge.
To the 1/2 cup mother, I add 5 1/2 cups flour and 3 3/4 cups water. I give it a hearty stir, cover and let sit on my counter until the next morning. If you have a strong “advanced” mother, you should have approx. 6 cups “activated batter.”