A Guide to Sourdough Breads and Biscuits

Sourdough bread has been a staple food in many cultures throughout history, including in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It was also popular among European settlers in North America during the 19th century.

Sourdough bread is known for its unique tangy flavor, chewy texture and crispy crust. It is considered to be more nutritious and easier to digest compared to other types of bread. The long fermentation process involved in making sourdough bread also helps in breaking down the gluten and making the bread more gut-friendly.

In order to prepare sourdough breads, biscuits, cakes or other baked goods, you will first need to create a sourdough starter. Here is how you can make one.

Sourdough Starter

Ingredients:

– 1 cup of all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
– 1 cup of room temperature water

Directions:

1. Mix the flour and water together in a container with a lid or cover it with plastic wrap (do not seal it).
2. Leave the container at room temperature for 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours, discard half of the mixture and feed it again with another cup of flour and another cup of room temperature water.
4. Repeat this feeding process every 24 hours for the next 4-5 days. You should start to see bubbles forming on the surface of the mixture after a few days, and it should have a slightly sour smell.
5. Once your sourdough starter has doubled in size and is active (bubbly and frothy), it’s ready to use in your bread recipe.

Note: It’s important to use non-chlorinated water, as chlorine can inhibit the growth of the yeast and bacteria needed to make the sourdough starter. If your tap water has chlorine in it, you can leave it out overnight before using it to make your starter.

Taking care of a sourdough starter is essential for keeping it healthy and active. Here are some tips:

1. Feed your starter regularly: Depending on the type of flour you use and the temperature of your kitchen, you may need to feed your starter daily or every few days. As a general rule, you should feed your starter with equal parts flour and water by weight (e.g., 100 grams flour and 100 grams water). Discard about half of the starter before feeding to prevent it from growing too large.

2. Keep your starter at room temperature: Sourdough starter thrives in a warm environment, ideally between 70-80°F. Avoid placing it in a drafty area or near cold windows.

3. Use filtered or bottled water: Chlorinated tap water can inhibit the growth of yeast and bacteria in your starter, so it’s best to use filtered or bottled water instead.

4. Store your starter in a non-reactive container: Glass or plastic containers work well for storing sourdough starter. Avoid using metal, as it can react with the acid in the starter and give your food a metallic taste.

5. Know when to discard and refresh: Over time, your sourdough starter may develop an off odor or become discolored, indicating that it’s time to discard and refresh it with fresh flour and water.

6. Have patience: Sourdough starter is a living organism and can take time to become active. Be patient and keep feeding it regularly, and it will gradually become more robust and flavorful over time.

Sourdough Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups sourdough starter
• 1 and 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, water, yeast, and salt.
2. Gradually stir in the bread flour until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10-12 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. Punch down the dough and shape it into a round loaf. Place the dough in a lightly greased Dutch oven or on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Cover the dough with the kitchen towel and let it rise for another 30-60 minutes, or until almost doubled in size.
7. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Use a sharp knife to make a few slashes across the surface of the bread.
8. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
9. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

NOTE (Optional) : To bake sourdough bread in a cast iron skillet, preheat the skillet in the oven while the bread dough is proofing. When it’s time to bake, take out the hot skillet and carefully place the bread dough inside. Then, cover the skillet with a lid or foil and bake according to the recipe instructions.

Sourdough Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, butter, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
3. Stir in the flour and milk until a soft dough forms.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes.
5. Roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thickness and cut out biscuits using a biscuit cutter.
6. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Serve warm with butter and honey.

NOTE (Optional): To bake biscuits in a cast iron skillet, preheat the skillet in the oven while you’re preparing the biscuit dough. When the skillet is hot, remove it from the oven and brush some oil or butter on the bottom of the skillet. Then, arrange the biscuit dough in the skillet, leaving some space in between each biscuit. Bake according to the recipe instructions and enjoy your delicious, golden brown biscuits.

Sourdough Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sourdough starter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup hot coffee

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Add the hot coffee to the batter and stir until smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sourdough Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

– 1 cup sourdough starter
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1/2 cup warm water
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter, flour, warm water, salt, and olive oil.
2. Mix until a dough forms, then knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
4. Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 450°F.
5. Roll the dough out into a thin crust and place it on a baking sheet.
6. Pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes, then add your desired toppings and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Sourdough Crackers

Ingredients:

– 1 cup sourdough starter
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1/4 cup olive oil
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter, flour, olive oil, salt, baking powder, and Parmesan cheese (if using).
3. Knead the dough until it comes together into a smooth ball.
4. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a thin layer.
5. Cut the dough into small squares or rectangles and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown and crisp.

Sourdough Waffles

Ingredients:

– 1 cup sourdough starter
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 2 tablespoons sugar
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 2 large eggs
– 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
– 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the sourdough starter, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the melted butter and buttermilk.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Preheat a waffle iron and lightly grease it with oil or cooking spray.
5. Ladle the waffle batter into the waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Serve the waffles warm with butter and syrup.

Sourdough Banana Bread:

Ingredients:

– 1 cup sourdough starter
– 2 ripe bananas, mashed
– 1/3 cup vegetable oil
– 1/4 cup honey
– 2 eggs
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 tsp baking soda
– 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the sourdough starter, mashed bananas, vegetable oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
6. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls:

Ingredients:

– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 1 tsp salt
– 3/4 cup active sourdough starter
– 1/2 cup milk
– 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
– 1 large egg
– 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
– 1/2 cup brown sugar

For the glaze:
– 1 cup powdered sugar
– 1/4 cup milk
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together sourdough starter, milk, melted butter, and egg.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until it forms a ball.
4. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes.
5. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rest at room temperature for about 8 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a baking pan.
7. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle.
8. Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the top.
9. Roll the dough tightly and cut into 12 equal pieces.
10. Place the rolls in the greased baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
12. Once the rolls are done baking, drizzle the glaze over the top and serve.

The Author:

Pioneerthinking.com – Ingredients for a Simple Life.

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