Starrs Sourdough recipes and baking guides

Earth-saving cookies

12/19/2021

Chewy Kernza ginger cookies with sourdough discard

As soon as I started baking with Kernza, I knew I really needed to put it into cookies. The perennial grain’s nutty, almost spicy scent evokes memories of freshly baked gingerbread cookies in my grandma’s Florida kitchen at Christmastime. Pairing it with ginger and molasses is a match made in heaven.

But rather than stop at swapping in some whole grain Kernza flour for all-purpose, I also wanted the recipe to recycle some of my ever-present sourdough discard, in the ecologically friendly spirit of Kernza. So I followed Edd Kimber’s genius method for incorporating sourdough discard—the excess sourdough starter removed when refreshing a mother starter—into cookies. By reducing the moisture content in the cookie dough but keeping the fat (through browning the butter and taking out the egg white), the sourdough discard is unnoticeable in both the taste or texture of the final cookies.

I always have sourdough discard taking up space in the fridge, but if you don’t, you can leave some out on the counter overnight to over-ferment and make it easier to incorporate into the dough. I keep my starter at 100% hydration, meaning equal parts flour and water by weight. If your starter is drier or wetter, simply add the necessary amount of water or flour to your discard to get it near equal and mix it into a slurry before incorporating the called-for amount into the recipe. Happy waste-free baking!

Yield
About 22 cookies when using a medium-sized, 1.25-oz scoop (30-35g per cookie)

Ingredients
1 stick of butter (113g), to brown (reduced to 86g)
⅓ cup brown sugar (75g)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (75g) + additional ½ cup (110g) for coating cookies
1 large egg yolk (18g)
¼ cup molasses (80g)*
½ cup sourdough discard (125g)
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger, packed (10g)
1 tsp cinnamon (3g) + additional 1 tbsp (7g) for coating cookies
1 tsp ginger (3g) + additional ½ tsp (2g) for coating cookies
1 tsp baking soda (3g)
½ tsp nutmeg (2g)
½ tsp salt (2g)
¾ cup all-purpose flour (110g)
¾ cup whole Kernza flour (80g)

*If you aren’t a fan of the heavy flavor of molasses, you can swap in ¼ cup maple syrup (70g) instead. The cookies will spread a bit more from the extra moisture in the maple syrup and be a tad sweeter.

Tools
Stand mixer (or very strong arms)
Pan
Rubber spatula
Baking sheet
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Small grater, such as a Microplane grater

Instructions

Heat your pan over medium heat, then add the stick of butter. Stir it occasionally as it melts, bubbles, and sizzles, and then more frequently as the bubbles get smaller and peter out. The remaining milk solids will turn an amber brown and begin releasing a nutty, toasted aroma. Allow it to continue browning for about a minute and then remove it from heat and pour into a small bowl to cool.
Let the butter cool for at least 10 minutes while you assemble the rest of your ingredients. Grate enough ginger for 1 packed tbsp (10g).
Add the butter, ⅓ cup brown sugar (75g), and ⅓ cup granulated sugar (75g) to the mixing bowl and cream the mixture with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy.
Change the mixer speed to low and mix in the egg yolk, ¼ cup molasses (80g) or maple syrup (70g), and ½ cup sourdough discard (125g). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until well incorporated.
Add the spices—1 tbsp freshly grated ginger (10g), 1 tsp cinnamon (3g), 1 tsp ginger (3g), 1 tsp baking soda (3g), ½ tsp nutmeg (2g), and ½ tsp salt (2g)—and mix until evenly distributed.
Add ¾ cup all-purpose flour (110g) and ¾ cup Kernza flour (80g) and mix until uniform, scraping down the sides and paddle attachment as needed.
Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 F.
Make a sugar-cinnamon-ginger mixture of roughly ½ cup cup granulated sugar (110g), 1 tbsp cinnamon (7g), and ½ tsp ginger (2g). Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Form the dough into balls, either using your hands or a medium-sized cookie scoop. Roll them in the sugar-cinnamon-ginger mixture and place them on the baking sheet.*
Bake for 10 minutes, rotating halfway through if your oven doesn’t heat uniformly.
Devour!

*You can also form the cookies and put them in the freezer for easy future baking. Simply add 2-4 minutes to the total baking time if baking from frozen.

2 Comments

Sourdough focaccia

8/28/2020

0 Comments

SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA RECIPE

This is such a simple, forgiving, and adaptable recipe that I very nearly brushed off writing it up. Focaccia is a pleasure for me to make because of its versatility and variability. Savory or sweet; two-day fermented or same-day baked; in a round or spread out in a pan; it's going to be delicious just about any way. I'll note the plentiful options and side-routes you can take in the process along the way!

This recipe yields one full pan (approx. 9 x 13 in) of focaccia or two rounds (approx. 10 in diameter) of focaccia, and can be topped with just about anything you desire.

Tip: Make sure your toppings are sliced thinly, or else they can weigh down the focaccia and lead to soggy pockets. My current favorites include coarse sea salt, garlic, and rosemary; cherry tomatoes and basil; peaches, herbes de Provence, and goat cheese; and pesto and nuts.

LEVAIN*

40g mature sourdough starter
160g water
160g bread flour (I use King Arthur Baking's Sir Lancelot flour)

*You can skip this step and use ripe sourdough starter at your normal 1:1 ratio or even a meld of overfermented discard and ripe sourdough starter.

FINAL DOUGH

680g water
505g all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur Baking's Sir Galahad flour)
360g levain (or starter/discard, as noted above)
230g whole wheat flour (I use freshly milled flour from Castle Valley Mill wheat grains or No. 18 hard wheat flour from Migrash Farms)
18g salt
Approximately 25 - 50g olive oil, for drizzling

EQUIPMENT

Medium bowl + lid or towel
Large mixing bowl + lid or towel
Scale
High-sided pan or baking sheet OR two cake rounds or high-sided cast iron skillets
Parchment paper

SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA: TOTAL FORMULA BAKERS PERCENTAGES

Ingredient	Weight (g)	Percentage
Water	840	92
All-purpose flour	505	55
Whole wheat flour	230	25
Bread flour	160	18
Sourdough starter	40	4
Salt	18	2
----	----	----
TOTAL	1.793 kg	196

SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA PROCESS

Mix

Mix your levain approximately 8 hours before you intend to mix your final dough, and roughly a day before you want to eat your focaccia, by dissolving 40g of mature sourdough starter in 160g of cool to room temperature tap water in a medium or large bowl. Mix in 160g of bread flour and leave to rise at room temperature, loosely covered. (I usually do this the night before mixing and let it ferment overnight if I intend to bake the same day that I mix. If intending to let the final dough rise in the fridge overnight, I usually mix the levain in the morning on the day before I intend to bake.)
When the levain has shiny bubbles on top and has at least doubled in size, it's ready for your final mix. In a large mixing bowl (or in the same bowl if you used a large one to build your levain), add 520g of water to your levain and mix until milky. Measure out 505g of bread flour, 230g of whole wheat flour, and 18g of salt and mix with the wet ingredients to combine. The dough will be very hydrated and feel gloopy.
Let rise for 3 hours at room temperature, with intermittent folds for strength. It will still feel very loose and slick because of the high hydration, but will gain some strength so that the dough holds together rather than tearing when pulled.
If planning to give it an overnight rise, move it into the fridge after 3 hours of fermenting at room temperature and leave it there for about 12 hours. If intending to bake it the same day, let rise at room temperature for another hour.

Final rise

Line your pan or rounds with parchment so that tails of the parchment stick out and are easily grasped. Rub olive oil into any exposed sides and onto the parchment.
Pour the focaccia dough into the pan or the two rounds and gently tug and spread it out so that it spreads to the edges. Let rise for 1-2 hours, so that it is airy and bubbly.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 440 F.
Pour olive oil liberally over the top of the focaccia. Then, using your fingers, firmly press into the dough to leave wells and bubbles in the surface.
Arrange your thinly sliced toppings.
Transfer to the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, rotating halfway through if your oven doesn't heat uniformly. The interior should register at 200 F and the top should be crisp and golden. If using a smaller pan or round than called for, poke the middle with a toothpick to ensure it's baked all the way through, or leave in to bake for extra time.
Let cool for 2 hours before digging in! Store leftovers in a plastic bag for a day or two so that they don't dry out, and then slice and move to the freezer.

0 Comments

Sourdough crepes

6/13/2020

1 Comment

SOURDOUGH CREPE RECIPE

The sourdough discard lingering in the back of your fridge, probably for a few weeks, is perfect for this recipe. Sourdough crepes mix up incredibly quickly, cook in lightning speed, and are very versatile: They can be sweet or savory, for breakfast or dinner, or be customized for a big group or just for two.

Recipe yields 6 - 8 crepes, depending on pan size.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup overripe sourdough starter (250 - 275g)
2 eggs (about 100g)
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup milk (50 - 100g)
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (35 - 75g)
1 tablespoon salt

SOURDOUGH CREPE PROCESS

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat (I use a 10-inch cast iron dutch oven top).
Measure out the sourdough starter into a medium to large mixing bowl, and then whisk in the eggs and 1/4 cup milk.
Whisk in 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and the salt until no clumps remain. It should be a thin batter, so add more flour or milk as required, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Once heated, melt a pat of butter on the skillet and swirl it around.
Using a scoop and a heatproof oven mitt, dollop the crepe batter into the pan and swirl it around into a thin layer (I use a 1/3 cup scoop, but the amount of batter needed will vary depending on your skillet size). Work quickly, as it will set fast.
Once bubbles have come up to the surface of the crepe, the underside should be firm and beginning to brown. Using a spatula, flip the crepe over to cook the other side.
Either cook the second side until golden and then remove and set aside (if you're making many more or want to use them cooled, perhaps for a dessert crepe), or add your fillings to one half of the crepe, fold over the other half and press it down to trap the steam, and remove from the skillet once fully cooked.

1 Comment

Sourdough banana muffins with walnuts and cinnamon streusel

5/31/2020

0 Comments

SOURDOUGH BANANA MUFFIN RECIPE

The two constants in my kitchen are overripe bananas and excess sourdough starter. I prefer banana muffins to their denser companion, banana bread, which I always struggle to cook through. Plus, these are easy to freeze and then thaw individually when you need a sweet treat for breakfast!

Recipe yields 12 muffins.

MUFFIN INGREDIENTS

3 overripe bananas (about 400g)
4 tablespoons (60g) melted butter
1/4 cup (60g) yogurt or sour cream (or more butter)
1 cup (250g) ripe sourdough starter
2 eggs (about 100g)
3/4 cup (175g) brown sugar
2 cups (225 - 275g) whole wheat flour*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 cup (125g) walnuts

STREUSEL INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp (60g) melted butter
3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (115g) brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

For a dairy-free alternative, replace the butter and sour cream with vegetable oil, and use 1/2 cup honey in the streusel instead of the butter and brown sugar.

SOURDOUGH BANANA MUFFIN PROCESS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease or line your muffin tin.
To start the muffin batter, mix together the flour, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
Mash up the browned bananas in a medium to large mixing bowl. Using a fork works just fine!
Add the butter, sour cream or yogurt, brown sugar, sourdough starter, and eggs to the mashed bananas, and mix thoroughly if mixing by hand, or for 1 1/2-2 minutes if in a mixer.
Mix in the dry ingredients until no dry bits remain.
Fold in the walnuts.
To start the streusel topping, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Add the melted butter and mix together with a fork until chunks of streusel emerge. If it's too paste-like, add more flour, starting with 1 tsp and working your way up in small increments. If it's too dry, do the same with more melted butter.
Ladle the muffin batter into your pre-greased or lined pan, filling nearly to the top.
Sprinkle the streusel liberally on top.
Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, checking halfway through to spin the pan if your oven is anything like mine.

*Updated on 6/13: home-milled whole wheat flour is much lighter than store bought, so this range was updated after some more recipe testing with both kinds of whole wheat flour.

0 Comments

Earth-saving cookies

Chewy Kernza ginger cookies with sourdough discard

Sourdough focaccia

Sourdough crepes

Sourdough banana muffins with walnuts and cinnamon streusel

Recipes

Guides

Author

Archives

Categories