Age
13Years
Color
Country of origin Canada
Taste
& Flavour
Mixture
100%
Liquid
Flour
Other
Elderflower Sourdough
Since 2011
I had made this starter with my mother as a child about 45 years ago, from the blossoms of the same bush. It was time to do this with my own daughter! The one I am using now is from a harvest 2.5 years ago.
Characteristics
Delicious pleasant flavour, not too sour, some yeast, very mildly floral but in a way that suits both sweet and savoury baked goods. Equally great for French loaves baked on sheets and boules baked in Dutch ovens. I have made quickbreads and even dog biscuits. Extra bonus for pancakes or sweet baking: substitute homemade elderflower cordial for sugar, finish with elderflower lemon glaze… wow!
Taste & flavour
Recipe
Starting ingredients
- 50% Fresh elderflower infused water
- 50% Unbleached wheat flour
Feeding ingredients
- 33% Warm filtered water
- 33% Unbleached flour
- 33% Elderflower starter
1
My starter is beautifully forgiving and responsive. I set aside discard for daily quick baking, then add starter in a roughly 1:1:1 mix with unbleached flour and warm filtered water. She stays alive in spite of variations in temperature/seasons and timing. I feed active starter about once a day.
33% Warm filtered water
33% Unbleached flour
33% Elderflower starter
Working method
1
Just like when making elderflower champaigne, I harvested about 20 flower heads on a warm, dry afternoon. I placed them with warm water and a bit of raw sugar in a large bowl for a few days, stirring each day, until bubbly. I filtered the liquid. Maintaining clean technique tools, I mixed a 1:1 ratio of unbleached organic wheat flour and home-distilled water. Very active starter!
50% Fresh elderflower infused water
50% Unbleached wheat flour
Result
French loaf
Crusty loaves, somewhat dense but still so soft and moist and flavourful. Loaves 3/4 eaten before I could photograph!
