Sponge Starter Recipes

SPONGE CAKE STARTER (FOR A SPONGE CAKE)

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl until combined.
• Cover bowl with a plate, plastic wrap, or lid and let sit at room temperature for 18-24 hours. You can mix with a wooden spoon a few times during the process.
• After resting time, proceed with your desired recipe.

INJERA

Steps:

• Begin by making a sponge or yeast starter: In a large non-reactive bowl or plastic jug with a lid, sift a generous 2 cups (9 oz/250 g) of the flour and, using your hands, begin slowly working in about 1 cup (250 ml) of water until you have a very moist, squishy dough without any lumps-it should take about 5 minutes. Pour over½ cup (125 ml) water so that the mixture is entirely submerged, then tightly cover and let it rest for four days at room temperature.
• The mixture will have separated into two layers: a thick, yeasty sponge on the bottom and a watery layer on the top. Carefully pour off and discard the watery top layer so that only the sponge underneath remains. You will need only a portion of this sponge to progress. You can use the leftover sponge to make successive batches of injera; it will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for several days.
• In a large non-reactive bowl, measure out 1 cup (250 ml) of the sponge. Using your hands, mix in the remaining 41/s cups (1 lb 2 oz/500 g) of flour and½ cup (125 ml) of water. When you start smelling a pleasantly sour aroma, gradually add a generous 1 ½ cups (375 ml) of water. Once the mixture is smooth, with no lumps, pour about 1 % cups (400 ml) of water on top; do not stir in this layer of water. Cover tightly and let the mixture rest for three days at room temperature.
• After three days, remove the lid and take a look. The batter may bubble and smell sour-these are good signs. However, if you see any bits of mold develop on the surface, scoop out and discard. Pour off and discard the watery liquid layer on top and reserve what is left: this is the base batter.
• Make the absit. In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup (250 ml) of water to a boil. Whisk in ½ cup (125 ml) of the base batter and½ cup (125 ml) of water. When this mixture begins to thicken and bubble, remove it from the heat. It should have the consistency of thin cooked oatmeal. Let it cool to just warm. This mixture is called absit.
• Mix the absit into the bowl with the base batter to create a final batter. The mixture should have a consistency mid-way between a crepe and pancake batter. If it is too thick, stir in a little additional room-temperature water. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it rest for about 2 hours, until bubbles have begun to form on the surface. The bubbles are the sign that the final fermentation has occurred and that the injera batter is ready to be cooked.
• To cook the injera, use a non-stick crepe pan or skillet, or large, traditional mitad. Moisten a paper towel with oil and wipe the surface, then place the pan over medium-high heat.
• When the pan is hot, use a spouted measuring cup to scoop ½-1 cup (125-250 ml) of the batter, depending on the size of the pan (a standard 11 inch/28 cm crepe pan will take about¼ cup/175 ml of batter). For a large mitad, use about twice as much batter. Work quickly and carefully in order to pour the batter evenly around the pan. Starting at the outside edge of the cooking surface-going clockwise if you are right-handed or counterclockwise if you are left-handed-pour the batter in a thin stream and in one continuous motion in a spiral formation, without overlapping, until you end at the very center. There might be some batter left over in the scoop. While not traditional, if using a crepe pan, swirl the pan if needed to evenly distribute the batter.
• Cook undisturbed until bubbles have begun to form on the surface of the injera and the batter begins to set. When about 75 percent of the surface batter has changed color, 45 seconds-11/2 minutes, cover the pan with a large lid. (A glass lid is helpful here as it allows you to check the doneness of the injera without uncovering.) Cook until the edges of the injera begin to curl, the top is quite dry, and the injera has released from the bottom of the pan, from 30 seconds-l 1/2 minutes (it might be longer with a larger mitad). Do not flip the injera.
• When cooked, use a long thin spatula and a thin plate or piece of cardboard to transfer the injera to a flat basket or a large plate lined with parchment paper without breaking.
• Remove any stray dough from the cooking surface, and then apply more oil as necessary and reheat. (After the first few injera, lower the heat to medium-low.) Continue making them in the same way, layering each injera on top of the last on the basket or plate as they are finished. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before placing another on top, and allow all to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cover any leftovers loosely with plastic wrap and they will keep for about 2 days.

SPONGE STARTER

Steps:

• Place the yeast and warm water into a medium size bowl and stir to dissolve the yeast. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or your hand for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth, and dough is elastic. The starter will be thick and stretchy. It will become more elastic after it has risen.
• Scrape the starter into a clear container with high sides, and cover with plastic wrap. Mark the height of the starter and the time on a piece of tape on the side of the container so you can see how much it rises.
• At this point, you have two options. If you plan on making the dough the same day, let the sponge rise at room temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to indent on top. This may take 6 to 8 hours. It will triple in volume, and very small dents and folds will begin to appear in the top of the surface as it reaches its peak and begins to deflate. Use it before it sinks too much.
• If you plan to make the dough the following day, let the sponge rise for 1 hour after mixing, then place it in the refrigerator and let it rise for at least 14 hours before taking it out to use. Be sure to compensate for the cold temperature of the starter by using warm water in the dough. Let it sit out, covered, until it reaches room temperature. This may take several hours.

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD (SPONGE METHOD)

Steps:

• 1. About 4 hours before you want to bake the bread, make the sponge (starter). Place all the ingredients for the sponge in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Cover with lid or plastic wrap. Let sit about 2 hours. It should be quite bubbly.
• 2. After the sponge has processed, start adding the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle the 1 1/4 tsp yeast on top of the sponge. Then sprinkle (most) of the 2 cups Bread Flour. (hold back several Tbsp of the flour to incorporate as needed). Add the liquid mix of Olive Oil and Warm Water. Mix as well as you can with a large spoon. Working in the bowl, use hands to bring the dough together. This will take a few minutes. Continue kneading in the bowl, or transfer to a board to knead a few more minutes, incorporating some (or all) of the reserved flour. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
• 3. Place the dough in a clean bowl and coat the dough ball with little Olive Oil. Cover with lid or plastic until doubled. If you have used the right temp of warm water this should happen rather quickly....in approximately an hour, give or take.
• 4. When the dough has doubled, punch down and knead for a minute or so. Use hands to form a nicely shaped ball.
• 5. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a 5 qt. Dutch Oven. Sprinkle some flour on top of parchment. Place dough ball, centered, on floured parchment. Make three slits on top of dough, not too deep. I do this with scissors. Sprinkle some flour on top of dough. Cover with lid or plastic until doubled. That should take just a little less than an hour.
• 6. This bread is baked by starting in a cold oven. The oven should not pre-heat.
• 7. When bread is ready to bake, place lid on Dutch Oven and place in a cold oven in the lower 1/3 of oven. For non-black pot, turn oven on to 450 degrees. For cast iron, turn oven on to 425 degrees. Set the timer to bake 65 minutes.
• 8. At 55 minutes, remove lid from Dutch Oven. Continue baking, uncovered for the remaining 10 minutes.
• 9. Remove bread from oven. Plop loaf out onto a rack. Thump the bottom of loaf. It should sound hollow. If so, place top up on rack to cool thoroughly before slicing, about 1 1/2 hours. If the loaf does not sound hollow, you may finish it up by placing it back in the oven for several more minutes, baking directly on the oven rack (no pan).