Mold on top of my starter...

[Inchworm]

I accidentally left my sourdough starter on the table.. hidden.. for about 2 weeks.

The kitchen is usually a comfy 45-50 degrees.

Mold has formed a bit on the very top, and I'm not certain which to do.

1. stir it in

2. scrape off then stir

3. toss it (really not an option because it would be like I let a 100+ year old baby die)

Any tips?

:banghead:

PS: I want cinibuns asap :)

[Warpy]

1. Toss it

What you see on the surface is only a small part of what is really there. The mycelium stretches far away from the surface and is probably all through the starter by now. Some molds aren't toxic but they usually impart an unpleasant flavor.

Use yeast for your cinnamon buns.

[housewolf]

2. You MIGHT be able to restore it

It's iffy, but this MIGHT work for you -

First of all, do NOT stir the starter! Scrape off all the mold you can see and as much of the top layer as you can.

Remove a couple tablespoons of starter from as close to the bottom as you can and put them in another container.

Add 1 cup of 75 degrees water, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour, and proof for exactly 24 hours at 72-77 degrees. Refrigerate for no less than 12 hours, then repeat. Do this several times - as many as 4 or 5 repetitions (start by dumping out all but about 1 - 2 tbls of starter and then add the water & flour so that you're not accumulating starter).

You'll also need to thoroughly clean and sterilize your original container before using it for sourdough starter again.

What this accomplises is sort of "washing" the starter. The hope is that there are enough uncontaminated microbes in the bottom of the polluted container and that they are actie and strong enough to over-power any mold microbes that might be there.

It might not work. It depends on how much the mold took over. But then again it might work, in which case you will have managed to rescue your beloved starter for nothing more than the price of a few cups of flour and some time. And there is a possibility that the mix of microbes might change and you'll have a different starter from what you had before.

If you get it going again, it might be a good idea to dry some of it to save as a backup just in case you need it some time.

Good luck to you!