Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Pumpkin Pie with Buttered Sourdough Crust

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pumpkin Pie with Buttered Sourdough Crust

Ingredients

Filling:
2 cups of pumpkin pulp puree from a sugar pumpkin
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Rapadura...
2/3 cup organic maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 teaspoon whole wheat pastry flour

Crust:
1 1/2 cups sifted whole-grain flour
1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1/4 cup chilled butter (chopped into 1/4 inch cubes)
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1/8-1 1/2 cup cold, filtered water

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Start with a small-medium sugar pumpkin, cut out the stem and scrape out the insides, discard (or save seeds for other use). Cut the pumpkin in half and lay cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until fork tender, about an hour to an hour and a half. Remove from oven, let cool, scoop out the pulp. If you want the pulp to be extra smooth, put it through a food mill or chinois. Scrape pumpkin into a food processor; puree until smooth.
2. In a stand mixer, or by hand, stir salt into flour. Then beat in chilled butter until the flour resembles corn meal. Beat in sourdough starter until the dough is smooth. If needed, add enough water just to the point it sticks together. You don't want it to be too sticky. Form the dough into a flattened ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 24 hours.
3. Measure 2 cups pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups pumpkin, Rapadura, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Stir in maple syrup, cream, and flour. Mix in eggs one at a time. Pour filling into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350° F for 1 hour, or until center is set.

Wishing you all a great holiday with your family and friends. Happy baking.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Simple Sourdough Dutch Baby

Get ready for all those overnight guests that will be coming for the holidays. Here is a quick, simple recipe and they will love the results.

Simple Sourdough Dutch Baby

Serves 2-4...

Ingredients

1 T. butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup sourdough starter
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 T. maple syrup (grade B preferred)
2 T. milk
Cast iron skillet for cooking

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°

In a bowl mix eggs, starter, salt, syrup and milk until thoroughly combined into a thin batter.

Place butter in cast iron skillet and brown in the oven. Remove from oven.

Pour batter into pan. Place in oven.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Serve warm with toppings of your choosing.

Recipe by Grain Mill Wagon.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies

Can you smell the cookies in the air? We can.

Peanut Butter Sourdough Cookies

1 cup starter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder...
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350° F

In a large bowl, mix together the starter, peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the starter mixture and combine.

Roll the dough into balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove to a wire rack and cool.

Happy baking.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Gingerbread

It is that time of the year.  Even though Thanksgiving isn't here yet there are Christmas decorations up at the stores and everyone seems to be chomping at the bit.  Our cultures make wonderful gifts.  They last a lifetime, easy to mail and who doesn't go crazy over sourdough?  Here is a recipe to get you in the holiday mood.

Gingerbread

Makes 1 Loaf

Baking soda helps to leaven this delicious bread; no additional proofing is required.

2 cups sourdough culture
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white bread flour

Baking

Measure the culture into a large mixing bowl.  Preheat over to 350°.  Add melted butter, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, egg, sugar, and salt to the culture and mix well.

Add baking soda to the flour and mix.  Then add the flour to the culture and mix until smooth.

Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch square baking pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

What a great smelling kitchen you will have!  Happy baking!

Friday, November 1, 2013

Butterflake Rolls


Get ready for the cold weather! Bake some rolls!

Butterflake Rolls

This is a fun, buttery treat with delicious sourdough flavor. Makes 8 to 10 rolls.

2 cups (480 ml) sourdough culture
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
1 teaspoon salt...
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup (180 g) melted butter
1 egg, beaten
4 cups (560 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough Proof

Pour the culture into a mixing bowl. Add the water, milk, salt, sugar, half of the butter, and the beaten egg and mix. Add the flour a cup (140 g) at a time until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand. Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.

Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70°F (21°C), in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. During this time, the dough should double in size. After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. If marked flattening occurs during this time, knead in additional flour before shaping.

Loaf Proof

Roll the rested dough into a rectangle about 5 inches (12 cm) wide and 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick. Brush the remaining half of the butter over the dough. Cut into 4 strips lengthwise with a pizza cutter. Stack the strips with the buttered sides up. Cut the stacked strips into eight to ten 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) pieces. Put the rolls in the cups of a muffin pan with the cut sides facing down so that the layers are visible on top.

Proof for 2 to 4 hours, until doubled in bulk. Proof for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C) in a proofing box.

Baking

Bake in a preheated oven at 400° (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until brown. Remove the rolls from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Happy Baking!!! And enjoy the fall weather.