Cakes, proofing, and whole grains
If you're like me, you're a frozen popsicle π₯Ά. It's going to be single digits here today. Thankfully, I'll hang out in the kitchen since my oven is ALWAYS on.
Here are a few awesome things in today's email:
- The results of my question in the last newsletter: what should I bake more of this year?
- Have discard? Make cake.
- Healthy bread and my ultimate guide to proofing dough.
Let's go!
ππ»ββοΈ What should I bake more of this year?
I received many replies to my last newsletterβthank you! The top 3:
- More recipes with whole grains (and freshly milled flour)
- More baguette recipes & guides
- A tie: chocolate chip cookies (CCC) and challah
The first two: I got you covered; more of these are coming! As for the CCCs and challah: I'm long overdue for both π Stay tuned.
Now, on to the recipes and guides.
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π Starter discard cake: ciambella
This classic Italian cake is so effortless you'll be surprised at just how good it tastes. I work in a little of my sourdough starter discard, which brings a bit of flavor (and some nutrition, too)βnot that this cake needs it.
The version above calls for lemon zest and limoncello for an intensely lemon cake, but I have variations for poppy seed, orange, and more.
It's one of those in-the-moment cakes that makes others think you spent hours.
| GET MY CAKE RECIPE β |
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π Sourdough with freshly milled flour
This loaf has 35% freshly milled whole wheat (I use Yecora Rojo) for a robust flavor and is an excellent step toward my goal of baking with more whole grains this year.
If you have a home grain mill, this is the perfect recipe for this weekend! Of course, you can swap in any whole wheat flour if you don't have one.
| GET FRESHLY MILLED RECIPE β |
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π‘ The ultimate guide to proofing bread dough
In this comprehensive guide, I dip into all things proofing bread dough. I'll walk you through how to:
- Proof dough at warm temp (instead of in the refrigerator)
- Decide just how long to proof your dough
- Spot the signs for when dough is ready to be baked (the poke test!)
- Learn which loaves are underproofed, properly proofed, and overproofed
Check out the guide and reply back to this email with any questions you might have!
| GET PROOFING GUIDE β |
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π What I'm reading and listening to
- My friend Ali over at Alexandra's Kitchen posted my Sourdough English Muffin recipe from my cookbook and oh did she nail that recipe! Watch her make them.
- I was recently on Food52's Play Me a Recipe (again!)βturn that on and bake my mini herb rolls with me in the kitchen.
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π€ Join the bread group
Take your baking to the next level with my sourdough tools, discounts, virtual meetups, and community discussions. β
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Stay warm & happy baking,
Maurizio Leo
P.S. Want to see me talk at length about bread knives (and you'll see just how many I have)? Here's my treatise on the best bread knife for sourdough bread ββ