After many MANY failures I finally have an active yeast starter that makes fluffy slightly sweet bread. We started making our own bread a few years ago but have always purchased the yeast. This yeast starter will make bread indefinitely as long as we keep feeding it! (Some have been around since the 1800s!)
This starter was made by fermenting organic unsweetened raisins. You will need THREE ingredients. Filtered water, flour, and organic unsweetened raisins …
Firmented raisin water:
▪ Mix 3 parts water to one part raisins in a mason jar for one day (at room temperature).
▪ Every morning open the lid, gently swirl the liquid and replace lid.
▪ Throughout the day shake the jar 2 more times with a lid on.
▪ After 6-7 days all the raisins will float to the top and you should hear the raisins and water mixture fizing (like a can of soda).
Yeast starter:
▪ In a clean mason jar stir 4 tablespoons of the fermented rasin water with 4 tablespoons of flour.
▪ When the mixture doubles in size stir in 8 tablespoons of filtered water and 8 tablespoon of flour.
▪ When the mixture doubles in size again you now have an active starter!!
To learn how to feed, use and store your yeast click HERE!
For the perfect natural yeast bread recipe click HERE!
An incredibly delicious gooey cinnamon roll recipe using natural yeast is posted HERE!
**3/1/2016 Update!!!**
I recently helped a reader work through her first starter too. Here is the link, she has pictures of her process in the comments as we worked through it together 🙂
Hi there I was using your recipe for making my own bread starter and have a few questions. I’ve fermented the raisin…
Posted on Friday, February 26, 2016
Do you put a lid on the jar while waiting for the yeast to rise either time?
And what can I do to save the left over raisin water? Freeze it or just put it in a jar in the refrigerator?
I was wanting to know the answers to the questions already asked also
Hi Donna 🙂 I connected with Chesla on Facebook and answered her questions there but forgot to follow up on the blog!!! Yes, I do put a lid on the jar but I check it at least twice a day. Take off the lid, let the air circulate through the jar and swirl it around to keep mold from forming.
You can use the raisin water in your first sweet bake (one of my readers even did a beautiful raisin cake!). I've stored it in the refrigerator until I was ready to use it later in the week.
Thank you so much
Okay I fermented the raisins added the raisin water and flour, waited for it to double then added the filtered water and flour, but it never doubled. What did I do wrong?
Hi Donna, A few questions:
How long did you give it to double? Also, do you see bubbles?
Haw warm/cold is the location that you are keeping your starter?
What kind of flour are you using?
Trying to get info to help diagnose it 🙂
I recently helped a reader work through her first starter too. Here is the link, she has pictures of her process in the comments and replies. Hope this helps 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/MiniSliceOfFarm/posts/432780003592121
I updated the bottom of this post with the link as well since I couldn't get it to properly link here in the comments!!
I used unbleached all purpose flour and left it for the time you have the fist rise or double did just like it was suppose to. When I added the 8 tablespoons flour and distilled water it never doubled so I have added mower of the raisin water and flour and seeing if that makes it double. It is pretty warm in my house. I was wondering if when I mix it to make the bread if I used the whey from my mk if it would help. The flour I want to use is 1/2 woolly wheat and 1/2 oat flour.
Whole wheat…Lol.auto correct
I've used whole milk in my bread recipe but never used whey although it should work just fine. Not sure about the half whole wheat half oat flour though, you are trying to build up the gluten to where when you pull the dough it doesn't break it just kind of stretches make a see through "windowpane"
I made some bread with this and it turned out awesome. If I wanted to make banana bread how would I incorporate the banana? I don't want to affect the rising.
Yeay!!! Congrats 🙂 I don't use yeast in my banana bread recipe but I've used it in these … http://minisliceoffarm.blogspot.com/2014/06/gooey-cinnamon-rolls-using-natural-yeast.html
I've also added a smashed banana or two in the filling with the cinnamon rolls and it was delicious. I'll type up my banana bread recipe and post it to the blog in a week or so!
2 questions on this recipe. 1) how long is it good for in fridge? 2)when making bread if it calls for the package of yeast do I just add 2 1/4 teaspons of this starter? ( I think that is the equivalent to dry yeast in teaspoons0
Hi AJ, I feed my yeast every 3 days and it had lasted several years. I've gone as long as one week without feeding it before. When making bread use 1/4 cup of starter for every 2-3 cups of flour in your recipe. Click on the "Natural yeast" tab above and it will take you to some great recipes and if you scroll down there is a post on how to feed it. http://minisliceoffarm.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-lifetime-supply-of-free-yeast-how.html
Thanks so much.. I kinda made a flop with the banana bread, but the goats loved it..Lol I am making another loaf of the sandwich bread now, just waiting on it to do it's thing
I followed your instructions and it worked perfectly. Then I made your bread recipe, and it wouldn't rise. What might have happened?
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Do you have a recipe for not sweet yeast? For regular bread?
The bread itself isn't sweet. I would compare it to a gourmet white sandwich bread. The difference between "sweet yeast" starter and sourdough starter is the sweet yeast doesn't add any flavor to the bread or baked good where sourdough adds a tangy flavor to it. Hope that answers your question 🙂
So sorry I didn't reply sooner, I didn't see your question until today!! Sometimes the blog doesn't notify me on old posts 🙁
I hope you got it to work. If not and are willing to try again, try using a larger amount of yeast in your recipe and making sure you are letting it rise in a warm area. Also, it could take up to 12 hours to rise so try making it late at night for it to rise while you are sleeping 🙂