Sourdough

by

Ferments on the Road

Meet my favorite ferments.

From left to right….

My wheat sourdough starter (half all purpose and half whole wheat), my delicious fermented cranberry lemon honey, my gluten-free sourdough starter, and my homemade wild sour cream.

My family and I hit the road this summer for a 3,000 mile road trip to visit family, and these little guys came along for the ride.

I packed them carefully in my electric cooler and at each place we stay I’ve been able to bake bread for my family, cranberry lemon scones for the aunts, uncles, and cousins, GF bread for my SIL, and most importantly, I can keep my clabber culture going so that I can make cheese once we get home. It needs to be fed weekly and would have certainly died while we were away if I had left it at home.

Ferments can behave differently during the summer. Changes in temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, elevation, all affect how your cultures perform and you need to know them well enough to adjust your technique accordingly. At the lake where we are at a higher elevation than at home in New York, my sourdough and yeast breads rise faster, and my clabber takes longer to culture because of the cooler temperatures. Each ferment has a personality. You have to get to know it and adjust how you use it accordingly. For example, I have to watch the rise on my breads much more closely and reduce the amount of yeast that I use. I have to allow more time for my clabber to set up for fresh homemade sour cream.

I plan to start some new cheeses when I get home. And you’ll probably see some new fermented vegetables on my counter once I get back to my garden.

What’s bubbling in your kitchen this summer?

Need some ideas for what to ferment first? Or do ferments intimidate you and you don’t know where to start? Homesteading Family has some great courses to get your creative juices flowing and things bubbling in your kitchen. Check out their courses on The Art of Homemade Bread which includes sourdough, Fearless Fermenting, and Practical Homemade Dairy (affiliate links).

by

Coffee Cake Sourdough Batter Bread

This is soft and moist and cinnamony.

Coffee Cake Batter Bread:

2 cups sourdough starter

1.5 cups of water

1.5 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

Mix the above.

Gradually add…

2-4 cups of all purpose or whole wheat flour

1.5 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

Mix the above adding flour gradually until the texture of the dough is like a thick cream cheese frosting.

Prepare Topping/Filling:

Combine…

1/2 cup flour

6 tbsp cold butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1.5 tsp cinnamon

Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to combine the butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon until the mixture is crumbly or the butter is pea size.

Loosely mix 1/3 of the amount of your filling into your batter. Reserve the rest.

Prepare your pans:

Grease your pan(s) and fill halfway with batter. Sprinkle 1/3 more of the prepared topping/filling on top of the batter. Fill with more batter until the pan(s) are 2/3 full. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the topping on the top and use your fingers to poke some down into the batter like you would if denting focaccia bread.

Rise:

Cover with a lid or a damp tea towel. Let the bread rise for 1-4 hours until 1/2 inch from the top of the pan.

Bake:

Bake covered if you have a lidded pan or baking dish for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, and 20-30 minutes more uncovered at 350 until the internal temp measures 190 degrees.

Cool and enjoy.

Makes 1 large 5×13” Pullman style loaf, or two 9×5” loaf pan loaves.

by

Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Batter Bread

Makes a great cinnamon raisin toast with breakfast.

Cinnamon Raisin Batter Bread:

3 cups sourdough starter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 cups milk or water

Mix together, then add….

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

All purpose or whole wheat flour until the texture of the batter is like a thick butter cream icing or soft cream cheese texture.

1 cup raisins

Pour into greased loaf pans. Let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until the batter is about 1 inch from the top of the pan.

Bake 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean or the internal temp reaches 190 degrees.

Makes 3 loaves.

by

Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Batter Bread

Unfortunately, we ate this bread up and I neglected to get a picture of it baked. It was good though! 😊

Chocolate Cherry Batter Bread:

3 cups sourdough starter (fed or unfed)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey 

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all of the above together and then add…

1 – 32 oz can of cherry pie filling

Add…

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1-3 cups whole wheat or whole grain spelt flour. Add 1/2 cup at a time until the batter is about the texture of softened cream cheese.

Pour into greased loaf pans.

Cover and let it rise for about an hour or until it almost reaches the top of the pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Internal temp should register 190 degrees.

Freeze or eat within 3 days. The addition of the fruit will cause it to spoil more quickly.

by

Banana Blueberry Sourdough Batter Bread

Forgive the misshapen loaf. One spot stuck and a bit a surgery had to be performed in order to remove it from the pan. Thankfully that doesn’t affect the taste. 😊

Banana Blueberry Batter Bread:

3 cups sourdough starter (fed or unfed)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup heavy cream 

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey 

1/2 cup sugar

3 very ripe, mashed bananas.

Mix all of the above together and then add…

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1-3 cups whole wheat or whole grain spelt flour. Add 1/2 cup at a time until the batter is about the texture of softened cream cheese.

Pour into greased loaf pans.

Cover and let it rise for about an hour or until it almost reaches the top of the pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Internal temp should register 190 degrees.

Remove from pans immediately and place on cooling rack to cool. Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!

by

Vanilla Peach Sourdough Batter Bread

3 cups sourdough starter (fed or unfed)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup oil

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey 

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all of the above together and then add…

2 – 16 oz can of peaches in light syrup. Drain the syrup in the bowl, then pour out the peaches and slice into 1/2 inch pieces and mix in.

Add…

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1-3 cups whole wheat or whole grain spelt flour. Add 1/2 cup at a time until the batter is about the texture of softened cream cheese.

Pour into greased loaf pans.

Cover and let it rise for about an hour or until it almost reaches the top of the pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Internal temp should register 190 degrees.

by

Sourdough Gingerbread Batter Bread

This makes great French toast or it is even yummy just plain with butter and honey.

Gingerbread Batter Bread:

3 cups sourdough starter (fed or unfed)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup blackstrap molasses

1/2 cup sugar

Mix all of the above together and then add…

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp ground ginger

1-3 cups whole wheat or whole grain spelt flour. Add 1/2 cup at a time until the batter is about the texture of softened cream cheese.

Pour into greased loaf pans.

Cover and let it rise for about an hour or until it almost reaches the top of the pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Internal temp should register 190 degrees.

Remove from pans immediately and place on cooling rack to cool. Makes 3 loaves.

Enjoy!

by

Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Batter Bread

This is another yummy way to use up extra sourdough starter. For other flavors search for “batter bread” in the search box here on the blog. It should be at the top of the sidebar on the right if you are reading on a computer, or if you are mobile it should be all the way at all the bottom under the comments.

Pumpkin Spice Batter Bread:

2 cups sourdough starter

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cups honey

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk or water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

1 – 16 oz can of pumpkin (or 2 cups of pumpkin purée)

Mix the above ingredients until well combined.

Add…

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

All purpose or whole wheat flour 1/2 cup at a time until the mixture resembles a very thick pancake batter that is about the texture of softened cream cheese or buttercream icing.

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans or a large greased casserole. Let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.

Bake 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean or the internal temp reaches 190 degrees.

by

Apple Crumble

This is similar to Apple Brown Betty which is baked, but this is a quick, allergy-friendly skillet version, and can be made in small batches. It’s a great way to use of stale ends of sourdough bread, but regular bread works great too.

Btw, Carolyn at Homesteading Family (affiliate link) as a great Apple Brown Betty recipe.

Apple Crumble:

This recipe is dairy, sugar, soy, nut, and egg free, and can be made gluten free as well.

1 medium apple, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp avocado oil, or butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

1/4-1/2 cup water

2-4 slices of stale bread, coarsely crumbled (for a GF version use gluten free bread)

Peel and chop your apple, heat skillet over medium heat and add your oil and apple. Sauté for a couple of minutes or so, and add the salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until all the apple pieces are coated. Next add the honey and vanilla, stir quickly so that the honey doesn’t burn, and gradually pour in some of the water to make a sauce. Don’t add all of it unless you need it. Add the crumbled bread and stir until coated and heated through. Serve with ice cream or heavy cream if you can have it. Makes 2-3 servings.

by

Sourdough Banana Bread

Moist and flavorful, and a great way to use up excess sourdough.

3 cups sourdough starter (fed or unfed)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

3 very ripe, mashed bananas.

Mix all of the above together and then add…

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

1-3 cups whole wheat or whole grain spelt flour. Add 1/2 cup at a time until the batter is about the texture of softened cream cheese.

Pour into greased loaf pans.

Ready to go in the oven.

Cover and let it rise for about an hour or until it almost reaches the top of the pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Internal temp should register 190 degrees.

Remove from pans immediately and place on cooling rack to cool. Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!

by

Sourdough Cornbread

This Texas girl grew up on good southern cornbread. It was a staple alongside a big pot of pinto beans.

Since I’ve been doing sourdough a lot lately, I thought I’d give sourdough cornbread a try. This is based on my grandmother’s cornbread recipe with a few tweaks. It’s delicious and moist, not grainy at all. You should all try it.

Sourdough Cornbread:

1 cup cold sourdough starter

1 tsp salt

1 cup water

2 tbls honey

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

Mix all the above ingredients together. Then add…

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 whole wheat

3/4 cup corn meal

1 tbls baking powder

Mix and pour in a greased cast iron skillet 8×8 casserole dish.

Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

by

Apple Gingerbread Sourdough Batter Bread

This bread is moist and flavorful and a great way to use up lots of immature sourdough starter.

Apple Gingerbread Sourdough Batter Bread:

3 cups of sourdough starter (for a less sour flavor use activated starter, for more sour use unfed starter)

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

2 cups water

3 cups peels and chopped apples

Mix all of the above together. Then add….

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tbls cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp cloves

2 tsp baking soda

Add whole wheat or spelt flour until the texture of the dough is like a stiff buttercream frosting.

Grease your loaf pans, and pour the batter into the pans filling them 2/3 full. Cover and let the loaves rise until it almost reaches the top.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Enjoy!