This rustic Italian loaf is made heartier with the addition of multigrain cereal. This bread is fantastic when drizzled with olive oil, dipped into soups, or cut lengthwise for sandwiches.
100g (½ cup) active starter
120g (½ cup) water
120g (½ cup) whole milk
1 tablespoon honey
28g (2 tablespoons) olive oil
113g (1 cup) white whole wheat flour
240g (2 cups) bread flour
1¼ teaspoons salt
120g (¾ cup) cooked multigrain cereal
1. Make the Dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, water, milk, honey, and oil. Stir in both flours and the salt. Cover with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
2. Add the Cereal. Add the cooked cereal and incorporate into the dough with your hands until well mixed. Let the dough rest for 1 to 1½ hours.
3. Stretch and Fold. Begin by pulling up on one edge of the dough as high as you can stretch it without tearing, then fold it to the middle of the dough. Give the bowl a quarter-turn and stretch and fold again. Repeat another two times, until you have made one complete rotation of the bowl. Repeat this step three more times, spacing them 30 to 45 minutes apart.
4. Bulk Ferment. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise for 8 to 12 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Shape. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently deflate the dough by pushing it with a closed fist. Remove it from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into an 8-by 10-inch rectangle. Divide the dough into 2 equal rectangles, each 4 by 10 inches. Transfer the loaves to the lined baking sheet, setting them about 6 inches apart. Cover the loaves with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until puffy. While the loaves rise, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
6. Bake. Spray the loaves with water. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the loaves are light golden brown.
7. Cool. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tip: Instead of 2 loaves, you can cut the dough into 12 portions and make rolls. Each roll should be about 2½ inches square, and you should leave about 3 inches in between rolls on the baking sheet.
Einkorn English Muffins
Yield: 8 muffins
Sourdough Method: 12-hour bulk fermentation
Active Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 14 to 16 minutes
Total Time: 13 to 14 hours
Tools: Large bowl, fork or dough whisk, large baking sheet, rolling pin, 3-inch round cutter
You might be surprised by just how easy it is to make your own English muffins, complete with all the delicious nooks and crannies. Using einkorn flour for this recipe yields a soft, tender muffin with a beautiful golden color. Unlike traditional recipes, these are baked instead of griddled, making for an even easier preparation.
300g (1¼ cups) water
100g (½ cup) active starter
63g (3 tablespoons) honey
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
520 to 770g (5½ to 8 cups) whole-grain einkorn flour
1 to 2 tablespoons cornmeal
1. Make the Dough. In a large bowl, mix together the water, starter, honey, and egg until blended. Add the salt and incorporate the flour 1 cup at a time until a sticky dough forms (you may not need all of it).
2. Bulk Ferment. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise for about 12 hours, until doubled in size.
3. Shape. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the cornmeal onto the baking sheet. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to a ½- to ¾-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut rounds from the dough. Combine and reroll out any scraps to keep cutting rounds until all of the dough has been used up.
4. Proof. Place the muffins on the prepared baking sheet. Cover them with greased plastic wrap and let them rise for about 1 hour, until puffy and increased in size. Near the end of the rise, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. Bake. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.
6. Cool. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tip: These are wonderful fresh and hot from the oven, but if you can’t eat them all at once, store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Just reheat them in a skillet with a little bit of butter, or in a toaster oven.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Amaranth Crackers
6
Sourdough Discard Recipes
This chapter showcases all the creative ways you can use your sourdough discard in easy-to-make whole-grain recipes. Here you will find not only a variety of flours to try, but a mix of sweet and savory recipes.
Whole Wheat Pancakes
Spelt Waffles
Einkorn Pumpkin Bread
Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Amaranth Crackers
Caramelized Onion Rye Biscuits
Cranberry-Orange Millet Scones
Blueberry-Lemon Spelt Muffins
Sourdough Crumb Cake
Buckwheat Chocolate Brownies
Whole Wheat Pancakes
Yield: Twelve 4-inch pancakes
Sourdough Method: Sourdough discard
Active Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Tools: Large bowl, whisk, skillet, spatula
When I have built up a supply of sourdough discard, the first thing I love to make with it is these fluffy buttermilk pancakes on the weekend. Made with whole wheat pastry flour to create a light texture, these flapjacks just need a drizzle of maple syrup for morning perfection.
90g (¾ cup) whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
180g (¾ cup) buttermilk (see Tip)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
120g (½ cup + 1½ tablespoons) sourdough discard
1. Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, melted butter, and sourdough discard until smooth.
3. Make the Batter. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients all at once into the well. Stir just until the flour has been mixed in; the batter will be lumpy. If the batter looks a bit too runny, add a tablespoon or two of flour. If it’s too thick, add a little buttermilk. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
4. Preheat a Skillet. Mist a skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat. Drop a few drops of water onto the skillet and if the water sizzles, the skillet is hot enough to cook the pancakes.
5. Cook the Pancakes. Ladle 4 portions (¼ cup each) of batter onto the skillet. Let the pancakes cook until they are golden brown on one side, then flip over and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on the other side, until golden brown. Place the pancakes on a plate. If desired, place the plate in a 200°F oven to keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.
Tip: If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, substitute sour milk made by pouring 2 teaspoons lemon juice into a measuring cup, then filling the cup with milk up to the ¾ cup line. Stir together and let sit for 10 minutes before using.
Spelt Waffles
Yield: 8 waffles
Sourdough Method: Sourdough discard
Active Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Tools: Large bowl, whisk, waffle iron, ladle
These whole-grain sourdough waffles are simple to make and healthy enough
to start your day with. They are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I love topping them with a little butter, maple syrup, and fresh berries.
306g (3 cups) spelt flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
360g (1½ cups) whole milk
74g (⅓ cup) melted butter or oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
120g (½ cup + 1½ tablespoons) sourdough discard
1. Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and sourdough discard until smooth.
3. Make the Batter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients all at once into the well. Stir just until the flour has been mixed in; the batter will be lumpy. If the batter looks a bit too runny, add a tablespoon or two of flour. If it’s too thick, add a little more milk. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. While the batter sits, preheat a waffle iron.
4. Cook the Waffles. Pour enough batter onto the hot waffle iron to fill but not overflow the mold. Cook the waffle according to the manufacturer’s directions. As you cook more waffles, place the cooked waffles on a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep the waffles warm.
Tip: You can stir 1 cup chocolate chips or blueberries into the batter for a tasty variation.
Einkorn Pumpkin Bread
Yield: One 9-by-5-inch loaf
Sourdough Method: Sourdough discard
Active Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 to 65 minutes
Tools: 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, bowl, whisk, spatula
This einkorn quick bread is made with lots of warm spices, bursting with pumpkin flavor, and is perfectly moist and fluffy. Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added ingredients. This bread is great warm right out of the oven, but I think it gets even better the next day.
143g (1½ cups) whole-grain einkorn flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
230g (1 cup) canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
107g (½ cup packed) light brown sugar
50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
120g (½ cup) vegetable oil
120g (½ cup + 1½ tablespoons) sourdough discard
1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices until evenly combined. Set aside.
3. Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, both sugars, the oil, and sourdough discard.
4. Make the Batter. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture slowly, combining with a spatula until just incorporated. Do not overmix the batter. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
5. Bake. Bake the bread for 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Yield: One 9-by-5-inch loaf
Sourdough Method: Sourdough discard
Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 60 to 65 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Tools: Large bowl, whisk, 9-by-5-inch loaf pan
This whole-grain banana bread is super moist and bursting with banana flavor. Made with brown sugar, cinnamon, and Greek yogurt, it’s my go-to recipe when I have extra-ripe bananas sitting around. I love a slice warm from the oven with butter, but this bread gets even better the day after you bake it.
240g (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
340g (about 4 large) very ripe peeled bananas
99g (½ cup) granulated white sugar
160g (¾ cup packed) light brown sugar
112g (½ cup) vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
95g (⅓ cup) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
120g (½ cup + 1½ tablespoons) sourdough discard
1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mist a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray (or grease it with butter) and set aside.
2. Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add both sugars, the oil, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and sourdough discard. Stir until smooth.
4. Make the Batter. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix together with a spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
6. Cool. Let the bread cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Store the bread covered at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Tip: I use white whole wheat flour to achieve a tender texture, but you can substitute 2 cups regular whole wheat flour if you like.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Amaranth Crackers
Yield: 8 dozen crackers
Sourdough Method: Sourdough discard
Active Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Tools: Large bowl, whisk, baking sheet, rolling pin, pizza wheel or sharp knife
Making your own sourdough crackers couldn’t be easier. The flavors in these crackers will make you think you’ve been transported to Italy without leaving the comfort of your own kitchen. The fresh herbs and sweet sun-dried tomatoes pair wonderfully with the earthy amaranth flour. Make sure you roll the dough out very thin to ensure your crackers bake up crispy.
162g (1½ cups) amaranth flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
50g (½ cup) grated Parmesan cheese
50g (¼ cup) sourdough discard
56g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons minced dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
45 to 60g (3 to 4 tablespoons) cold water
1. Make the Dough. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, Parmesan, sourdough discard, butter, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and 1 tablespoon of water. Pulse until tiny crumbs form. Add the remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons of water bit by bit to bring the dough together, being careful to not overmix. Flatten the dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the Oven and Pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cut Out the Crackers. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out as thin as possible, about ⅛ inch thick. If the dough is slightly crumbly, add another teaspoon of water (more if needed) and knead together. Cut the dough into 1¼-inch squares using a sharp knife or pizza wheel. Place the squares on the lined baking sheet. Prick each cracker with the tines of a fork.
4. Bake. Bake the crackers for about 15 minutes (depending on thickness), until puffed and light golden brown.
5. Cool. Let the crackers cool directly on the baking sheet. They will continue to crisp as they cool. Store the crackers in an airtight container for up to
3 days.
Tip: If the crackers are still too soft after baking, return them to the oven and continue baking for additional time. They will crisp up, I promise!
Caramelized Onion Rye Biscuits
Yield: 8 to 10 biscuits
Sourdough Method: Sourdough discard
Active Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10 to 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Tools: Skillet, baking sheet, large bowl, pastry blender (optional), 2-inch round biscuit cutter
Caramelized onions are added to these sourdough rye biscuits to give them a touch of sweetness and added moisture. For tender, fluffy biscuits, make sure you use very cold ingredients and do not overwork the dough. If you don’t have a round biscuit cutter, use the rim of a small drinking glass instead.
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 small to medium onion, thinly sliced
75g (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) whole wheat flour
77g (¾ cup) rye flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped chives
84g (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
90g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) cold whole milk
120g (½ cup + 1½ tablespoons) sourdough discard
1. Caramelize the Onions. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat them in the oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook them for 45 minutes, until caramelized, stirring every few minutes or so. If they start to dry out, add a little water to the pan. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Make the Dough. In a bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, and salt. Stir in the chives. Using your fingertips, two knives, or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-size and the dough looks crumbly. Add the cooled caramelized onions and toss them to evenly distribute. Pour in the milk and sourdough discard, and stir until a rough dough forms.
Whole Grain Sourdough Made Simple: Easy Recipes for Artisan Loaves and Specialty Breads Page 9