I had to share something with you've I've been introduced to in the
last few weeks. I know it may be a little out there, but no more
than sourdough starter. As a matter of fact, it's very similar. I
began adding something called KEFIR to my bread. It's a milk
culture and works like yogurt or buttermilk. I've used buttermilk in
my dough before, but wow, what a difference the kefir has made. I
use Golden 86 grain to make my bread (100 percent) so a little at a
time I have improved my bread to where it was a fairly light loaf
when I wanted sandwich bread. But I began putting a couple of cups
of WW flour, 2 t yeast, a cup of warm water and 1 cup of kefir
starter and letting it sit for a while on the counter before I start
mixing up the dough. It bubbles and wiggles! It's alive! The bread
is tall and light and SO tasty! I have researched the health
benefits of drinking kefir in shakes and such, also, but if for no
other reason than bread I would keep it around.
Basically, you get the grains (more like cottage cheese kurds) and
pour a cup of milk over it, lightly cover and let it sit on the
counter 24 hours or so, longer for more sour. You strain out the
grains and make another batch and put the kefir milk in the fridge to
use as you need it. You need to use glass and plastic because it
reacts to the metal (kind of like making yogurt and sourdough
starter). Anyway, I wanted to share 'cause my bread has
been.....mmm...mmmm..mmmmm..mmmmmm.... good.
Linda
http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html
http://www.kefir.net/
http://www.kefir.net/kefiryogurt.htm
Blessya'bunches from a Linda
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