I’m going camping with a number of people and need to supply sourdough biscuits each morning. Can someone suggest a schedule for dividing/refreshing/proofing a stiff starter to keep me ahead of the challenge? Need about 20 biscuits with no commercial yeast.
Thanks for your time.
Terry

What sort of temperatures are you expecting?  Since you may not have access to refrigeration, it will highly temperature-dependent.  How much firm, mature starter does your recipe call for?

I don’t have a recipe for biscuits. Normally make English muffins or bake one in my La Cloche. Temps will be in the 70’s and 40’s at night. I won’t have scales so hoping for simple recipe. Will have a cooler with temps at around 40. I normally refresh my starter with x flour and x/2 water.

I recommend Cheerios.  Or staying in a Motel with a restaurant.

@Charles, lol!

@poppa terry, I do maintain a sourdough starter and bake from it often, but i’ve never made biscuits so I don’t think I’d be any help with a recipe- hopefully others will chime in there!

As for refreshing, I recommend a trial run or two before you go.  You may be able to get away with a once daily feed in the morning, with enough flour for about twelve hours fermentation.  The nights sound like they will be somewhat like a refrigerator, so store the practice starter in the fridge at night and make biscuits in the morning. 

You can measure out the flour in little plastic bags before you go, and I also recommend an emergency kit of a little commercial yeast (if your biscuits are yeast-raised) and a little salt (to be used if temps are warmer and the starter is fermenting too quickly).

Another thought- you could make baking powder-leavened biscuits and use powdered buttermilk or dried mature starter to give them flavor.  Then all the variables of time, temp and feeding will not be a problem. 

Have a good trip!

Helpful suggestions. Will give it a shot and see what happens.

Terry

I think a stiff starter will be too slow to produce the daily amounts you will need. Say about two cups of sourdough. I would use a wet starter and feed it with 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups water daily. Prepare a premix for the remainder of the ingredients. Flour, salt, sugar, baking powder/soda, butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients before the trip then you only need to mix about 3 cups of the premix with two cups of sourdough. Exact proportions and ingredients depend upon how you plan to cook your biscuits. Dutch oven? Fry pan? Fire? Briquettes?

Gene - 17 October 2012 12:06 PM

I think a stiff starter will be too slow to produce the daily amounts you will need. Say about two cups of sourdough.

I also think so!! good luck!

Thanks to all for helping out. Since biscuits are new to me as well, I’m looking forward to some trial runs. Will try a liquid starter as it should help speed up the fermentation. Maybe I’ll get fired!