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Sponge Starter
Recipe Courtesy of Amy Scherber

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) very warm water (105 degrees F
to 115 degrees F)
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups (16 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and
stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, until a smooth, somewhat
elastic batter has formed. The batter will be very stiff; it gets softer and more
elastic after it has proofed. You may find it easier to mix the sponge using an
electric mixer, with a paddle or a dough hook, on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.


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Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Scrape the sponge into a 2-quart clear plastic container and cover with plastic
wrap. At this point you have two options:

If you plan to make your dough later that same day, let the sponge rest at room
temperature until it has risen to the point where it just begins to collapse. This
may take 6 to 8 hours, depending on the temperature of the room and the strength
of the yeast. The sponge will triple in volume and small dents will begin to
appear in the top as it reaches its peak and then begins to deflate. The sponge is
now in perfect condition to be used in a dough. It's best if you have already
weighted or measured out all of your other recipe ingredients before the sponge
reaches this point so you can use it before it collapses too much.

If you're not planning to make your dough until the next day or the day after, put
the covered sponge in the refrigerator and let it rise there for at least 14 hours

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Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

before taking it out to use in a recipe. Be sure to compensate for the cold
temperature of the starter by using warm water (85 degrees to 90 degrees F) in the
dough instead of the cool water specified in the recipe. Or let the starter sit
out, covered, until it reaches room temperature (this may take several hours) But
don't let it collapse too much before you use it.

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Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved