Sourdough Starter with Milk

This is a beginner-friendly path to sourdough baking. Instead of waiting a week or more to capture wild yeast, this sourdough starter gets a jump-start from a packet of active dry yeast, so it’s bubbling and ready far sooner. Flour, water and yeast ferment together for at least 12 hours, then a feeding of milk, sugar and flour enriches it.

The milk and sugar are what set this version apart from a plain flour-and-water starter. They give the starter, and the breads you bake from it, a softer, slightly sweeter, more tender character.

Like any starter, it’s a living thing you maintain. Keep it in the fridge between bakes, and every time you scoop some out for a recipe, feed the rest with the same amounts of milk, sugar and flour to keep it alive and active for the next loaf.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a non-reactive container, glass or plastic rather than metal, with room for the starter to bubble up and expand.
• Let the initial ferment go the full 12 hours or more in a warm spot, until it’s bubbly and smells pleasantly sour.
• Always feed the remaining starter after taking some out, with equal parts milk, sugar and flour, then return it to the fridge.
• Because it contains milk, keep this starter refrigerated between uses rather than at room temperature.

Variations

• Use it as the base for sourdough pancakes, biscuits or sweet breads.
• Bring the starter to room temperature and let it get bubbly before baking for the best rise.
• For a tangier flavor, let it ferment a little longer before refrigerating.