"linda" > wrote in message
...
> What I would like to do is have a yeast plant started from the grain
> fermenting naturally, so as to avoid the fast acting yeast which appears
> to give me indigestion
>
> Then in theory when I want some bread I wouls just take some of the plant
> and add that to basic ingredients, program the bread machine and have
> bread. Is this possible?
>
> I've looked and just can't seem to find any recipes online for sour dough
> using a bread machine. I guess because traditionally it takes days to
> rises, hence my idea of using a plant. But I don't really know that much
> about it - would a plant not work from natural yeasts? And what would I
> feed it to keep it going if it did?
>
> I plan on using whole grain flour as much as possible but I'll mix it with
> plain if I have to, as dh really doesn't like the heavier breads.
>
> And yes I tried just using baking powder to get it to rise - was more
> like soggy cake.
>
> Any bread experts out there?
>
>
To make a sourdough starter is a long many day ritual. You wouldn't want to
do your final rise in a bread machine with it's very short rise time.
You can, however, use the bread machine to make a preferment, like poolish
or biga, and add that to the dough with enough yeast to rise in the time
allowed by the machine.
If you're going to go to this much effort, it's really better to use the
machine only as a mixer and make the bread manually. Look at Peter
Reinhart's "Breadmaker's Apprentice". It's a breadmaker's bible.

Kent