Amish Sourdough: A Timeline

Feed and Wake Start

1/25: 10:30

It was already awake. Can take up to 8 hours. It should foam, "boil", and roil. 

1 c warm water (105-107 F) + 3/4 c sugar + 3T potato flakes=blend and keep warm

Optional = Let the tea kettle continue to heat until the whistle wakes everyone. Make coffee or tea. 

Wake Yeast

1/25: 10:31 

1/2 c sugar + 2 1/2 c water (105-107 F) + 1 cup start + 1T yeast = time until it foams

Optional: Stir and smell the aroma akin to beer. Take your vitamins. 

Not Optional: Do not use Amarillo water. There's stuff in there that will kill yeast. And it's nasty. Use bottled or filtered water. 

Make Sponge

1/25: 10:30 Mixture above + 5 c flour + mix until smooth + 30 plus minutes 

Optional: Tell Alexa to set a timer for 30 minutes. Go check email. 

Finalize Ingredients and Kneed

1/25: 11:17 

Mixture above + 3/4 t soda + 1 T salt + 4 T oil + blend until incorporated

Mixture above + 3 c flour (wheat if making wheat) + kneed until it feels right

Optional: Mush up the baking soda before you add it. That stuff is disgusting if you get a clump of it. I mix up the soda, salt, and oil together. Use regular or kosher salt. Iodine kills yeast. 

Rise 

1/25-11:30

2T oil in a clean high rise bowl + dough + swish it around until the dough is all covered

Optional: Go have lunch with mom. 

Cover with tea towel and place in a warm area

Wait until doubled

Rise Again

1/25 - 12:32

When doubled, squish it all back down. Make the bottom the top. 

Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm area

Wait until doubled

Shape

Shape into loaves. 1: 40 I flatten out the dough like a croissant - fat at the top and skinny at the bottom. then I roll it up and squish it into the pans. 

Grease pans

Add parchment paper sling to ease removal

Proof

Cover with tea towel and place in a warm area. 

Wait until dough rises one finger over edge.

Bake and Cool 

1:46 -2:25

Recipe