Goodbye October
everything my sourdough starter and I made in October
Hi friends and November! I originally intended this post to go out on November 1st but “life” got in the way. Unfortunately while my parents were visiting, we all got in a car accident last Saturday while going on a short, weekend getaway with them and my daughter. We spent most of Saturday at the ER and thankfully we all checked out okay, but the whole experience was scary.
I appreciate y’all so much for your support and all of the kind messages I have received. It means so much to me and my family.
Now let’s get down to sourdough business.
Even though I haven’t really had time to process the month of November, I am still having a hard time believing October is gone - I had such a fun month baking with my sourdough starter - some items I’ve made many times, while other items I’ve never made before.
One of the many things I love about sourdough is how versatile it is. When I first started baking, I didn’t realize sourdough starter could be used beyond traditional bread.
it can be used in a wide variety of both sweet and savory recipes, either as the sole leavening agent or as an ingredient to add a complex, tangy flavor and improved texture.
Versatile Uses for Sourdough Starter
The active starter and the “discard” (I prefer to call it inactive or unfed starter) can be incorporated into so many different baked goods:
Savory Items
Pizza Dough: Creates a chewy and flavorful crust - the BEST pizza you will ever have.
Crackers: Can be rolled thin and baked into crispy, seasoned crackers.
Pancakes: Adds a little tang to some of your breakfast favorites.
Rolls: Makes flaky, tender biscuits and dinner rolls with a unique flavor profile.
Pretzels: Sourdough pretzels offer a depth of flavor not found in the traditional yeasted versions.
Other: English muffins, naan bread and pie crusts.
Sweet Items
Cakes & Muffins: adding sourdough starter adds moisture to things like banana bread and cake.
Cookies: sourdough starter can enhance the texture and flavor of chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, and other cookie varieties.
Cinnamon Rolls: the tangy flavor of the sourdough perfectly balances the sweetness of the filling and icing.
Doughnuts: creates a unique twist on this breakfast (or dessert) favorite.
Other: Scones, cupcakes, and even granola.
Benefits of its Versatility
Reduced Waste: Using the discard in recipes is an excellent way to avoid throwing away excess starter.
Enhanced Flavor: Sourdough provides a more complex flavor compared to commercial yeast.
Nutritional Value: The fermentation process can break down gluten and increase nutrient availability, making baked goods easier to digest for a lot of people.
Texture Improvement: It contributes to a better crumb structure, resulting in items that are often chewier - I notice this most with cookies.
By keeping extra sourdough starter, home bakers can have access to an extensive range of recipes, allowing for experimenting each and every month!
