April 26, 2009 - 5:22am
freezing a starter?
Can I deepfreeze a starter? Mine is working for several weeks now, even got ovenrise in the last couple of weeks.
I can't feed the starter now for 10 days. Too long? Freeze it? It feed it with more flour and less water?
Thanks in advance? Cheers, Jw.
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Jw, you can freeze your starter, but you don't really need to in your case. If you must neglect it for 10 days, put it in the fridge. Then whenever you get back to it, take it out, stir in the hooch, and refresh it as normal.
FYI - PR's method for freezing says to freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then refresh twice over the next two days.
I always keep it, airtight, in the refridgerator. Should I just leave it there then?
I didn't get around bying one of Peter books, will do that with the new one...
Thanks, Jw.
For 10 days (even longer), the refridgerator will be fine. Just refresh it as per normal and immediately stick it in the fridge. It doesn't sound like it has been in the fridge that long, so if you don't have time to refresh it just leave it in the fridge. Then when you get back stir it up and give it a couple days of refreshes before using it.
I personally would not chance the freezer unless the starter has been dried out first (or I had a second batch in the fridge just in case). But several authors say the freezer is fine.
Here's a link to Dan Lepard's forum and his discussion of freezing leaven:
http://www.danlepard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2243
His Times (UK) article is here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article5480824.ece
Thank you so much for the links. I'm going to try it!
Summer
I will try it as well and let you know. It's in the deepfreeze already.. Cheers, Jw.