Making your own Baking Powder and Yeast

Homemade baking powder

Because the store bought stuff can lose its power quickly, it is a good idea to have some things on hand to make your own.

To make the equivalent of 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder;

½ teaspoon cream of tarter
¼ teaspoon baking soda

Yeast
Of course yeast is the most important part of your breads. If you feel so inclined, you can create your own yeast to keep on hand. The problem is that it isn’t as reliable as your store bought counterpart. To test to see if any of your yeast is still alive, take 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and ½ cup warm water. Set aside for 30 minutes in a warm dry space. If the sponge is bubbling, than your yeast is good, add this sponge to your bread recipes.

Making a yeast starter.

A yeast starter is something you can have around for many years, and possibly generations if done correctly.

1 large potato
1 tablespoon dry yeast
¼ cup sugar

In a least 1 pint of water, boil the potato until mushy. Without draining, mash it in the water, making sure that there are no lumps, then pour it into a quart jar, filling it only 2/3 of the way full. Set it aside at room temperature until it is lively. Cover with a cheese cloth, fasten with sting or rubber band, and refrigerate. Remove the jar when needed and pour out a pint of the yeast water. Add more potato, and water and sugar to replace what you have removed, follow the beginning process. One pint of starter is the same as 2 tablespoons of dry yeast, just be sure to reduce the liquid in your recipes by a ½ cup.