how to Make Bread Dough Starter

Dough Starters are a wonderful way to add flavor to bread. They also improve dough texture. A dough starter is like a pet you keep in your refrigerator It is basically yeast mixed with flour and water left to ferment and develop in flavor. It may use wild yeasts as in traditional sour doughs, or a store bought yeast. Those made from wild yeasts will develop a more interesting flavor, but they take longer to make. To make a quick starter mix about 1 1/2 cups of warm water with a teaspoon of sugar and a small amount of yeast (less than a half package). Then add enough flour (all purpose will do) to make the consistency of very thick pancake batter. Let the mixture sit for 18-24 hrs at room temperature. Your starter is now ready to use. If you are not ready to use it keep it in the refrigerator and take it out once a week to give it a little more flour and water and let it sit out at room temp. for 18-24 hrs. Never use it all at once. Keep a little to keep the starter going indefinitely. Above is my starter after sitting out for 12 hrs. Note how bubbly it is. Don't you just love the power of yeast?