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viral olympic chocolate muffins (box mix dupe)

viral olympic chocolate muffins (box mix dupe)

and now, a brief muffin interlude.

like the rest of the world, i was swept up in olympic muffin mania last month. unlike the rest of the world, 90% of my freezer was actually filled with aforementioned paris olympic village muffins.

let me explain.

in july, my roomie went viral for tracking down the original supplier of the olympic muffin and then importing over a thousand of them to nyc. 30 of those ended up in our apartment freezer.

how many muffins have we eaten at this point? i’ve lost track.

but with great privilege comes great responsibility. i had a duty to the people! i set out to develop a worthy dupe recipe using the easiest thing i could think of: box mix.

in my opinion, the original coup de pate recipe is very, very chocolatey but not too sweet. the crumb is soft, but has a light, spongey spring to it. the ganache is silky, even after freezing.

this dupe comes very close in flavor, except for a very light, artificial aftertaste that’s so subtle you might miss it. the crumb is even softer than the original, providing a melt-in-your-mouth texture (which some might prefer?).

my doctored box mix dupe holds its own against the internet’s best dupe recipes. you can see our surprise discovering this live with @thepancakeprincess.

this recipe is for all the chocolate loving busy bees. 5 minutes to throw together, 16 minutes to bake. you’ll spend less time on these olympic muffins than running to the grocery store.

notes

  • i did extensive online research before deciding to test betty crocker triple chocolate fudge and betty crocker devil’s food cake box mixes. after baking and taste testing both, i settled on triple chocolate fudge because it had stronger chocolate notes and a weaker aftertaste. i cannot vouch for other box mixes. i imagine they will taste different!
  • i tried swapping out water for milk in one batch, but believe water makes a better dupe. my hypothesis is that water brings out the chocolate flavor, and milk dampens it. the OG muffin is also very dark in color, whereas adding milk will lighten the muffin.
  • the percent cocoa in your chocolate matters. i use ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. i would not go for less cocoa than that, but you could also use dark chocolate chips.
  • the quality of chocolate might matter too. ghiradelli has never let me down, and i noticed its the same price as nestle at my grocery store.
  • i did not develop my own dupe ganache recipe. none of the olympic muffin dupe recipes come close, but i love ibakemistakes’ (i leave out the corn syrup). it’s fudgy and delightful. the easiest ones are just heavy cream and chocolate chips, and would likely work as well!
  • the ganache can get messy. embrace it, it’s part of the process. i like to poke a hole in the center using a chopstick first to create a tunnel for the ganache to fill.
  • a cute lil video if you prefer tiktok

viral olympic chocolate muffins

a box mix dupe for the viral olympic chocolate muffins. makes 12.

formula

  • 1 box betty crocker triple chocolate fudge
  • 3 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • cup ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 generous pinch of salt

method

  • preheat oven to 350℉.
  • pour box mix into a medium sized bowl.
  • add instant espresso powder and salt.
  • add oil, water, and eggs to bowl and mix!
  • fold in chocolate chips.
  • pour batter evenly across 12 muffin liners. they should be pretty much full.
  • follow the muffin tin baking instructions on the back of the box. for me, it usually takes 16m.
  • allow to cool completely.
  • fill the center with cooled ganache with any method. i've used a piping bag (easiest and least messy), a ketchup squeeze bottle (second best), and the good ol' spoon-it-in method.

pumpkin spice mooncakes

pumpkin spice mooncakes

in my early 20’s, i wasted way too much time worrying if my interests were cool.

when i moved to brooklyn, i found myself surrounded by a cluster of late 20-somethings with impeccable style and taste in music, two things i thought i sorely lacked.

i wanted to be quirky. i wanted to be hip. i knew at least, that i didn’t want to be basic.

and so, i began to keep quiet about the things i loved. sweetgreen salads. taylor swift. pumpkin spice.

luckily, i came to my senses and adopted a new perspective: who the f*ck cares? slowly, i learned to stop prioritizing the potential judgment of others over my own joy.

these mooncakes are a gift to that past self, dedicated to all the joys and comforts that fall brings us. embrace the things that make you you, and enjoy these with people that make you feel cozy 🥰.

notes

  • i prefer making 50g mooncakes. you can find pretty inexpensive molds on amazon.
  • i’ve tried adding the pumpkin spice to the puree mixture over heat, and found that it’s best to add towards the end. this prevents any spices from burning.
  • try to use the dough the same day or within a day. filling can be made the night before and refrigerated.
  • i tested storing the dough in the fridge overnight for one batch, and i’d say avoid resting it in the fridge if you can. it’s still workable, but will make the dough extra crumbly, crackly, and harder to handle. if you must, bring the dough balls up to room temp first before molding. it helps.
  • the dough recipe is from kristina cho’s honeyed pistachio mooncakes, and the filling is loosely inspired by this easy mooncake recipe from yan cooks food. if the mooncake wrapping and stamping instructions are unclear, please refer to either of the aforementioned instructions!
  • the final dough will be pretty oily. i add the oil in last, and sometimes will cut out 10g, which seems to have no change in workability or taste/texture

pumpkin spice mooncakes

a classic baked mooncake with a pumpkin spice paste interior

formula

for the dough
  • 300 g all purpose flour
  • 110 g canola (or another neutral) oil
  • 160 g lyle's golden syrup
  • 1 tsp lye water (pre-make)
for the filling
  • 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
  • 150 g pumpkin puree
  • 110 g canola (or another neutral) oil, i used avocado
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2-3 tsp pumpkin spice mix (to taste)
for the wash
  • 1 egg
helpful tools
  • 1 egg wash brush
  • 1 scale
  • parchment paper
  • mooncake stamp molds

method

prepare the dough
  • make lye water in advance: preheat oven to 250℉. bake 1 tsp of baking soda on a small metal tray for 1 hour (you can also make a bigger batch in one go, and store it in a little jar). after it cools, mix 1 tsp of baked baking soda with 1 tbsp room temp water. stir until completely dissolved.
  • combine flour, golden syrup, oil, and lye water in a bowl.
  • knead to form a cohesive dough. shape into a disk.
  • cover completely in saran wrap or store in a bowl with a lid.
  • let rest at room temp for at least 40 min, up to 4 hours. do not store in fridge (this will cause the dough to stiffen)
make the filling
  • drain and rinse the can of chickpeas. if you see any skin peeling off, you can either throw them out or leave them (i've done both, and it's about the same)
  • add the chickpeas in a food processor, and blend until texture resembles wet sand. add pumpkin puree and blend until completely mixed.
    pumpkin puree filling immediately after blended
  • add the puree to a (preferably non stick) pan, and start cooking on low to medium heat.
  • slowly add and mix in the oil until fully incorporated.
  • then, stir in the maple syrup and sugar until fully incorporated.
  • continue cooking over low to medium heat, stirring continuously, until texture once again resembles stiff wet sand and can pile onto itself, ~40 min
    stiffened pumpkin filling
  • you don't have to hover over the stove the entire time, but you will want to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom or burning (maybe every ~5-10 min?)
  • when paste is ready, remove from heat and stir in the desired amount of pumpkin spice, to taste.
  • allow to cool completely before using.
assembly
  • preheat oven to 350℉
  • roll dough into balls of 20g, and roll pumpkin filling into balls of 25g. +/- 1g should be fine, you don't need to perfect with it.
  • place dough ball between two small pieces of parchment paper and flatten with fingers.
    flattening a mooncake wrapper
  • continue flattening until about 1mm thick, you'll want thickness to resemble a corn tortilla. you can use the bottom of a glass, a tortilla press, or your fingers.
  • carefully remove the dough wrapper from the parchment paper (it'll be fragile!) and place on palm of non-dominant hand (left hand for most people).
  • using your right hand, slowly pinch the dough wrapper around the filling ball, removing excess as you go. patch up the top with the extras at the end if needed.
    wrapping the mooncake filling
  • place the wrapped dough and filling ball seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • make sure the ball is shaped in a way that your stamp mold can encompass it. cover the ball with your mold, and tamp down firmly but gently.
  • remove by pushing the completed mooncake through the stamp, and gently wiggling the mooncake out if needed.
  • repeat until you've used up all the filling balls!
bake
  • place baking tray on top third of oven, and bake for 10 min, or until edges are lightly golden.
  • let cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • while cooling, make egg wash by beating 1 egg and 2 tbsp of water.
  • after cooling, brush a thin layer of egg wash over the tops and sides of the mooncakes.
  • bake for an additional 10 minutes.
serve
  • let cool completely before serving. mooncakes will have a crunchier exterior on the first day.
  • store in an airtight container for at least 1 day for the more traditional, soft and chewy exterior.
  • store in airtight container for up to 5 days.
pumpkin sourdough

pumpkin sourdough

a post-vaccine life motto i’ve adopted: seek more opportunities to turn ordinary moments into special ones.

i buy all the flowers at the farmers market stand as it closes and cover every surface of my apartment with them. i lug bushels of apples home to make apple crisp in batches, dropping in on my friends on a random tuesday for a special delivery. i thrift a red dress that makes me feel like the 💃🏻 emoji, muster all the main-character-energy i can, and stroll around nyc in it without a so-called occasion.

i find myself delighting in the ability to infuse this everyday magic into the familiar, worn grooves of routine, in a way i have never felt before.

there is something that feels so fun, so dramatic, so extra about decorative sourdough.

unlike a cake, bread isn’t often thought of as pretty. maybe that’s why i’m even more appreciative of those who have made sourdough an art.

it’s decorative gourd season y’all. let’s make sourdough pumpkins!

notes

i’ve wanted to try this pumpkin shaping ever since i saw it on my instagram feed last year.

my variations:

  • added a dash of turmeric for additional color in the dough, and subtle flavor
  • saved and dried a butternut squash nub to top the final loaf for additional flourish
  • included actual pumpkin puree during the autolyse for the full pumpkin effect

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
bread flour70%
whole wheat flour15%
all purpose flour15%
water72%
salt2.5%
levain24%
pumpkin20%
turmeric & spices0.75%

steptime
levain build6 hours
bulk rise8 hours
folds4-5 folds
cold proof12 – 14 hours
bake45 minutes

pumpkin sourdough

a decorative sourdough for all your fall feels. tastes like pumpkin soup in bread form, looks like a pumpkin.

formula

levain build
  • 15 g unfed levain
  • 15 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 60 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 60 g water @ 85°F
dough formula
  • 280 g king arthur bread flour
  • 60 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 60 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 0.5 tsp ginger or garam masala powder (optional)
  • 288 g water @ 95°F
  • 80 g pumpkin puree
  • 10 g sea salt
  • 96 g ripe levain
special equipment
  • 96" baker's twine
  • neutral oil
  • scissors
  • butternut squash top stub, dried & baked

method

7 am: feed levain
  • refresh your starter using levain build formula, and stiff starter method.
12 pm: autolyse
  • in a large bowl, mix all flours, turmeric powder, and ginger powder together.
  • in another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree with the water. stir well so pumpkin puree is evenly distributed in the liquid mixture. note: you want the resulting temperature of the liquid to be about 93°F. i gradually added water to my pumpkin puree until i reached that temperature.
  • slowly add the liquid mixture into the flour mixture, mixing with a rubber spatula. make sure to incorporate the liquid into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated.
  • let sit, covered, for 60 minutes.
1 pm: bulk fermentation
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times. then, measure out ripe starter, and add to bowl.
  • mix, alternating between using the rubaud and pincer method, for about 6-7 minutes.
  • let dough rise at room temp until it is about 1.5x in size and appears gaseous, about 8 hours in the fall.
  • this dough needs 4-5 sets of coil folds, spaced 45 min apart, starting at the beginning.
  • sample schedule:
    – 1:45 pm fold #1
    – 2:30 pm fold #2
    – 3:15 fold #3
    – 4 pm fold #4
9 pm: shape
  • i like to shape these as a round boule.
  • on a generously floured surface, gently guide dough onto the table.
  • first tug and fold the dough lightly on itself in each direction: top, left, right, bottom, like you're folding up paper.
  • then, repeat to create a more tightly formed
9:05 pm: proof
  • generously flour an lined round bannetone. flip the dough over with a bench knife, and gently transfer the dough, seasm side up, into the bannetone.
  • if the seam has come undone, stitch it back together.
  • lightly flour the top of the dough.
  • place bannetone inside of a plastic bag to cover, and place in fridge overnight for 12 – 14 hours.
[next morning] 10 am: preheat
  • place dutch oven with lid on into the oven. pre-heat oven to 495°F for an hour.
10:50 am: shaping part ii
  • dough is proofed when it passes the finger dent test. remove bannetone from fridge.
  • cut 4 pieces of baker's twine, each 24" in length. dip or cover each piece in vegetable oil. remove excess oil with fingers.
  • while the dough is still in the bannetone, lay each piece of twine on top across the center, so that the strings create an asterick shape.
  • flip the dough out onto a precut piece of parchment paper
  • gather the pieces of twine on dough top, and then loosely tie together. i left just under an inch of room for my dough to expand while baking.
  • for an extra flourish, score each section with a leaf pattern using a lame.
  • watch the video above for full demonstration.
11 am: bake
  • transfer scored dough to dutch oven.
  • decrease temperature to 475°F. with the lid on, bake for 30 minutes. then, take the lid off. bake for another 12 – 15 minutes, or whenever the crust turns the color you like it (i go for a medium brown).
  • let this loaf full cool on a wire rack (or something else that allows the air to circulate).
  • after crust is no longer hot to the touch (after 30 min), remove the strings by cutting them.
2 pm: slice & enjoy
  • optional: place your dried butternut squash stem flat on top of the loaf before serving.
  • let loaf cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
toaster oven sourdough

toaster oven sourdough

what do you really need to bake good sourdough bread?

baking in taipei, without my usual suite of tools, has really pushed me to reflect on this question.

i optimistically brought doug, my sourdough starter, with me, to taiwan.

i say optimistically because it turns out it’s pretty rare to have an oven in a typical taiwanese kitchen. i walked into my airbnb to find a countertop air fryer, a robust blender, and a cabinet where an oven might have been installed.

luckily, a lack of a proper oven was nothing a bit of resourcefulness and a lot of enthusiasm from my roommate couldn’t solve.

together, we managed to get access to a toaster oven for an afternoon, cobble together a suite of tools, and still get pretty incredible results. i’m sharing the process below if ever you find yourself in a similar situation.

may your days be filled with bountiful carbs, wherever you may find yourself!

equipment

  • standard sized toaster oven. i used a panasonic toaster oven which had a maximum temperature of 230°C
  • 8″ x 4″ enamelled steel pot with lid. we had this vardagen pot from ikea, but i think any 2 qt dutch oven would work.
  • soup sized bowl. i used the bowl from this dinera set from ikea, the size of this cereal bowl
  • thin paper or a tea towel. i used thin coffee filter like paper to line my bowl to create a “proofing basket”

necessary tools

  • kitchen thermometer. i brought my thermopop from the u.s.
  • kitchen scale. also brought from home, i have this one

optional tools

  • lame. i brought my wiremonkeyshop one with me because it is small and i am extra.
  • parchment paper. this would help, but i managed without. i used some coarse brown rice flour instead.
  • bench scraper. or dough knife! i brought one from home, but you could use whatever large, sharp knife you have on hand.

notes

  • toaster ovens have lower maximum temperatures than a regular oven. my bake times were much longer in order to bake it all the way through and achieve the crust color i wanted.
  • toaster ovens are smaller than regular ovens. i’d recommend making smaller loaves. i used 450g of flour for two loaves.
  • toaster ovens heat up much faster than regular ovens. i also used a non cast-iron, non-dutch oven. as a result, i reduced the pre-heat time.

toaster oven sourdough

formula

levain build
  • 12 g unfed levain
  • 48 g water @ 85°F
  • 12 g whole wheat flour
  • 48 g bread flour
dough formula
  • 382 g bread flour
  • 68 g whole wheat flour
  • 360 g water @ 90°F
  • 11 g salt
  • 104 g ripe levain

method

8 am: feed levain
  • refresh your starter using levain build formula, and stiff starter method.
12 pm: autolyse
  • in a large bowl or lidded pot, mix all flours together.
  • slowly add the water, mixing with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon or with your hands, making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well.
  • stop when all the flour is hydrated.
  • let sit, covered, for 40 minutes.
12:30 pm: bulk fermentation
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times. then, measure out ripe starter, and add to bowl.
  • mix using wet hands, alternating between using stretch & fold and pincer method, for about 6-7 minutes.
  • let dough rise at room temp until it appears gaseous, about 7 hours in the springtime taipei (kitchen ~80°F)
  • this dough needs 4 sets of coil folds, spaced 45 min apart, starting at the beginning
7:30 pm: divide & shape
  • generously flour your clean, flat surface. gently guide dough onto the table.
  • using a bench knife, dough scraper, or regular knife, divide into two parts.
  • shape each part by gently tugging, folding, and rotating the dough a few times until it forms ball.
  • flip dough over, seam side down on an unfloured surface. gently tug and twist to seal
7:35 pm: proof
  • if no proofing basket, line a soup bowl with a coffee-filter like paper or a tea towel. generously flour the lining.
  • flip the dough over with a bench knife, and gently transfer the dough, seasm side up, into the makeshift proofing basket.
  • place bannetone inside of a plastic bag to cover, and place in fridge overnight for 12 – 16 hours.
  • repeat with second half of the dough.
[next morning] 10:00 am: preheat oven
  • place your enamel pot with lid on into the toaster oven. pre-heat oven to 230°C or 450°F (ie. the highest setting it would go) for 30 minutes.
10:30 am: score
  • dough is proofed when it passes the finger dent test. remove one bowl from fridge.
  • generously flour the bottom with flour. i used coarse rice flour here because it was easily available here in taiwan, and it burns less easily.
  • very slowly, flip dough out of the bowl, and onto a cut piece of parchment paper or paper.
  • optional: score your loaf with a lame, a single blade, or a very sharp knife. i like to score boules by drawing an X, or a square.
10:35 am: bake
  • transfer scored dough to enameled pot.
  • with the lid on, bake for 35 minutes.
  • then, take the lid off. bake for another 18-20 minutes, or whenever the crust turns the color you like it (i go for a pretty deep brown).
  • for the second loaf, place empty enameled pot with lid on back into toaster oven to re-heat for 5 more minutes before repeating the same scoring & baking procedure.
2 pm: slice & enjoy
  • allow bread to cool completely (at least 1.5 hours) before slicing and eating!
  • i didn't have a cooling rack, so i just used a fork to prop up the loaf which allowed the air to circulate.

sourdough cracker toffee

sourdough cracker toffee

sourdough cracker toffee may be the best treat i have ever made for my friends.

i’ve seen grown adults reaching for a quickly emptying tub, eyeing the crumbles at the bottom, only to eventually tip them eagerly into their mouths to get that one last bite.

these moments of feeding people and witnessing their response bring me an almost embarrassing amount of joy. it’s my not-so-secret love language.

in chinese culture, feeding people is a common way to show care when the words aren’t quite there. it’s a universal, unspoken i love you, often followed by enthusiastic consumption. i love you too.

i’ve been baking these a lot lately for my bay area friends.

at first timidly, always asking for permission to swing by, until one friend remarked, “erica, you don’t have to ask. the answer will always be yes“.

so i practice.

i practice showing care without restraint. i practice not feeling self conscious. i practice the small act of vulnerability that is showing up unexpectedly with treats, and trusting there will be someone on the other end to devour them happily.

i love you. i love you too.

notes

popular variations of this recipe include matzah toffee, which uses matzah crackers as the base, and christmas crack, which uses saltine crackers. i’ve adapted this recipe from once upon a chef.

poking holes into the rolled out dough pre-bake is a crucial step! this will make sure your crackers will stay flat and not puff up, creating an even base for the other layers. i’ve made this mistake so you won’t have to.

i’ve specifically used a 50/50 proportion of all purpose and wheat flour for these crackers.

  • different flours have different absorption properties. the texture of your dough might change if you make large adjustments. for example, when adding the same amount of water, all purpose flour will feel stickier than wheat.
  • that being said, adjusting for hydration, i think rye and buckwheat could be interesting additions.

as always, i develop my recipes with my 80% hydration starter. please adjust the starter and flour amounts to match yours.

stacked cracker toffee

sourdough cracker toffee

layers of flaky sea salt, pecans, chocolate, toffee, and sourdough cracker combine to create a treat you won't be able to stop eating. this recipe makes one sheet pan of about 48 small pieces.

formula

cracker formula
  • 1/2 cup starter discard (127g)
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour (35g)
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (40g)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (20g)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
toffee layer
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (110g)
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (108g)
chocolate layer
  • 6 oz chocolate chips or chunks (154g)
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped, optionally toasted (60g)
  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, to taste

method

make the crackers
  • combine discard, flours, oil, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
  • knead until smooth ball, about 1 min. cover, and let rest for 1-4 hours.
  • when ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • generously flour a working surface with wheat flour.
  • cut dough ball into two pieces. this step is optional, but i find working with two smaller pieces is easier than working with one larger piece.
  • pre baked and post baked crackers
  • like rolling out pie dough, roll out each ball one at a time into a rectangular shape.
  • you'll want them to be thin, but not too thin. target just under 1/8", or about 3 mm.
  • lay them together onto a sheet pan. i like to re-combine them together. it's ok if they separate again while baking.
  • using a fork, poke holes in the cracker sheets. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! this will prevent any sections from spontaneously puffing up.
  • bake for 20 minutes, or until crackers are lightly golden. careful not to overbake! they'll go back into the oven later in the process.
  • let cool for 15 minutes before proceeding with toffee. they should be crunchy after cooling.
toffee layer
  • pouring toffee on cracker
  • preheat the oven to 350°F
  • line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil, such that the entire bottom is covered. place your freshly baked sourdough cracker sheets on top.
  • in a small saucepan or pot, melt the butter and brown sugar together by whisking continuously over medium heat.
  • the butter and sugar should combine together. if there is some separation at first, no worries — just keep going.
  • keep whisking until toffee begins to foam and bubble. at this point, whisk for 3 more minutes.
  • carefully pour the hot toffee mixture onto the crackers. using a spatula, quickly spread out the toffee mixture evenly over the crackers.
  • bake for 8-10 minutes, until toffee looks like it is bubbling over.
chocolate layer
  • chocolate melting on hot toffee
  • remove sheet pan from oven.
  • evenly plop chocolate chunks or chips on top of the very hot toffee layer.
  • let sit for 3-5 minutes, or until chocolate is soft. using the same spatula, spread the chocolate out into an even, thin layer.
  • you'll want these layers to be about the same thickness!
  • evenly sprinkle chopped pecans, to taste, on top of the chocolate.
cool
  • pop the sheet pan into the fridge for 15 minutes, such that the chocolate cools but is not yet firm.
  • take the sheet pan out, and sprinkle flaky sea salt, to taste. i like to go generous with the salt.
  • put the sheet pan back in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or until chocolate layer is firm.
serve
  • cooled, pre-cut toffee
  • remove sheet pan from fridge.
  • on a cutting board, cut into small, bite-sized pieces, about 2"x2".
  • store in an airtight container or tupperware in the fridge, for up to 2 weeks. i promise you they're not going to last that long though 😅
cheddar dill sourdough rolls

cheddar dill sourdough rolls

i’ve always considered dill to be a second tier herb.

my mother cooked with a multitude of herbs, often, even growing chives and green onions in our backyard.

during peak harvest times, my mother would cook nothing but chives for weeks at a time — chive dumplings, chive bao zi, chive pockets. she fed it all to my brother and i until we became bloated from the fiber.

dill just never had a place in my pantry. never harmonized with the warming notes of our rotation of ginger, star anise, and chilis, never made it into our cart during our biweekly trips to shanghai supermarket.

in the past few months, however, i’ve been flirting a lot with dill. a dill-less salad now feels naked, like it’s missing an ingredient as crucial as the lettuce itself. i’ll never leave another PLS ungarnished.

above all, i’ve become hooked on the combination of cheese and dill after trying a roll from la farine.

with the feedback of over seven taste testers, i’ve developed a delicate, puffy, pizza-crust like roll that similarly centers cheddar and dill.

this roll has a crisp and thin crust, encrusted with thinly shredded cheddar and speckled with fresh dill. bready walls surround a small divet where the cheddar pools and bubbles. when you bite in, it’s like eating a sauceless, herby micro pizza.

no matter where you are in your relationship with dill, these rolls will make you fall in love all over again. bread and cheese tend to have that kind of effect.

notes

the secret to the perfect texture and bite is using olive oil instead of flour while shaping! it is of utmost importance that you use as little flour as possible during this step!

i encourage swapping the dill for chives or scallions for a different flavor profile. in fact, i’ve tested this with scallions and the result is just as wonderful (see the three rolls in the left corner of the cover photo).

though i haven’t tried it, gruyere could also be a nice cheese accompaniment to the dill.

if your cheddar is on the saltier side, i would skip the extra salt. the cheddar i used was pretty mild.

as always, my starter is 80% hydration. please adjust the dough formula to match your starter. all timing and schedules are suggestions. i developed this recipe in springtime san francisco kitchen at about 74°F.

baker’s percentage & sample timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
bread flour95%
whole wheat flour5%
water78%
salt2.5%
levain24%
cheddar cheese32%
fresh dill4%
steptime
levain build6 hours
bulk rise8-9 hours
folds6 folds
cold proof16 hours
bake15 min
cheddar dill rolls

cheddar dill sourdough rolls

makes 8 small rolls encrusted with thinly shredded cheddar and speckled with fresh dill featuring bready walls surrounding a small pool of bubbly, herby cheese.

formula

levain build
  • 8 g unfed levain
  • 8 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 32 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 32 g water @ 85°F
dough formula
  • 190 g king arthur bread flour
  • 10 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 156 g water @ 95°F
  • 5 g salt
  • 48 g ripe levain
  • extra virgin olive oil
to top
  • 64 g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 8 g fresh dill, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp salt (optional, to taste)

method

  • dill and cheddar
8 am: feed levain
  • refresh your starter using the levain build formula, and stiff starter method.
  • in my current kitchen of 74°F, it takes about 5-6 hrs for my starter to ripen. in a cold wintertime 60°F kitchen, it might take closer to 10 hrs.
1 pm: autolyse
  • in a large bowl, mix all flours together. slowly add the water, mixing with a rubber spatula, making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated.
  • let sit, covered, for 30-60 minutes.
1:45 pm: mix
  • sprinkle salt evenly over the autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times.
  • then, measure out the ripe starter, and add to the bowl.
  • with wet hands, mix. i first use the pincer method. then, i alternate between the stretch & fold and the slap & fold method for about 6-7 minutes.
1:50 pm: bulk fermentation
  • let dough rise until it is 1.2x in volume and appears gaseous, about 8-9 hours in a 74°F kitchen.
  • this dough needs 5-6 sets of coil folds, spaced 30-45 min apart, starting at the beginning.
  • sample schedule:
    – 2:30 pm fold #1
    – 3:00 pm fold #2
    – 3:30 pm fold #3
    – 4:00 pm fold #4
    – 4:45 pm fold #5
    – 5:30 pm fold #6
10 pm: divide & shape
  • choose a large plate or vessel to place your final 8 dough balls. remember that they'll expand a little in the fridge.
  • generously oil the bottom (and sides) of the vessel. oil will act as the primary non-stick agent.
  • using as little flour as possible, dust a working surface. gently dump the dough onto your lightly floured surface.
  • again, using as little flour as possible, divide the dough into 8 even pieces. i keep cutting pieces evenly in half until i reach 8.
  • if your fingers are sticking to the dough, cover them lightly in oil.
  • one by one, use the stretch and fold method to form a ball with a tightly closed bottom. flip the ball, seam side down, on an unfloured surface. tug gently and twist slightly to seal.
  • generously oil the top and sides of the dough ball before placing into your vessel. repeat with all 8 balls.
10:15 pm: proof
  • once the balls are shaped, cover them with plastic wrap, or place the entire vessel in a sealed, extra large, gallon ziploc bag.
  • whatever you use, you'll want to make sure the seal is airtight and that they are completely covered so they do not dry out (this means cloth does not work).
  • place in fridge and proof for 14-16 hours.
[next day] 12:55 pm: preheat & prep
  • preheat oven to 500°F.
  • to make the topping, mix the thinly shredded cheddar cheese together with dill. add salt, if needed, to taste.
1 pm: shape, again
  • remove the dough balls from the fridge. they should look like they held their shape for the most part, and like they have expanded slightly.
  • cover a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • with oiled hands, take one dough ball and set onto the sheet pan, remembering to leave space for all the others.
    cheddar roll shaping part 1
  • cheddar roll shaping part 2
  • using your thumb, indent the center of the dough so that it makes an imprint. using your other fingers, press to widen the indent so it makes a divet, about the size of a quarter.
  • moving quickly, take a small scoop of the cheese topping and press it into the divet you just formed. it is totally normal for the divet to start closing immediately! not to worry at all. just use your fingers to press the topping in.
  • gently cover the rest of the roll with additional cheese mixture.
  • repeat with all the remaining rolls until you have all 8 evenly filled and evenly spaced out on the sheet pan.
    shaped and topped buns ready for baking
1:15 pm: bake
  • place sheet pan on middle rack of oven.
  • bake at 500°F for 5 minutes. then, lower to 475°F and bake for an additional 10 min. you'll want the cheese to look golden or golden brown, but not dark brown or burnt.
1:45 pm: enjoy!
  • let cool for 15 minutes. serve immediately by themselves, or with some beer & pickles.
  • store up to a few days in a tupperware container.
  • to reheat, pop in the microwave for 15 seconds or in the air fryer for a few minutes.

tiny sourdough

tiny sourdough

i made this tiny sourdough reel for april fools’ inspired by how “small batch” has taken off this past year. it quickly became my most popular post! i’m blown away by the response, and wanted to share a longer video and process with all of you.

i’m including the full recipe below so you can make your very own tiny sourdough loaf ✨

notes

  • although i provide a recipe, you can scale down any standard recipe. 60g of total flour will make two tiny sourdough loaves.
  • i used my classic country brown recipe, but decreased the proportion of wheat flour to 10%, and used bread flour in place of all purpose.

materials

tiny sourdough

make your own extra tiny sourdough loaf with a homemade mini proofing basket and an 8 oz cocotte. recipe yields 2.

formula

dough formula
  • 54 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 6 g king arthur bread flour
  • 45 g water @ 90°F
  • 1 g salt
  • 15 g ripe levain

method

12 pm: autolyse
  • in a small bowl, mix all flours together. slowly add the water, mixing with fingers making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated. let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
12:30 pm: mix
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times. then, measure out ripe starter, and add to bowl. mix, alternating between pincer and stretch and fold, for about 6-7 minutes.
  • this dough needs 3-4 sets of stretch and folds spaced 45 min apart, at the beginning.
  • let dough rise at room temp until expands and appears gaseous, about 8 hours in the springtime.
make the bannetone
  • get two 2.5 oz sauce or condiment cups, or something similarly sized.
  • option 1: using a pour-over coffee filter. cut off about 1 inch at the top. then, place the filter cone point down into the tin. fold the bottom, and then fold the filter edges over the sauce tin.
  • option 2: using a small piece of linen. find a scrap piece of linen. cut it so that you can fold the edges over and line the sauce tin.
  • whichever option you choose, repeat twice to create two mini proofing baskets.
8:30 pm: divide & shape
  • on a generously floured surface, gently guide dough onto the table. using a bench knife, divide the dough into two equal parts.
  • to shape, first fold the dough on itself: top, left, right, bottom, like you're folding up paper. then, finish with a few stretch and folds around to create a circular, dome shape.
  • flip dough over, seam side down on an unfloured surface, and gently tug to seal.
proof
  • generously flour your makeshift proofing baskets, and your mini boules. flip the dough, seam side up, into your proofing basket.
  • repeat with the other boule.
  • place both bannetones inside of a sealed plastic bag or ziploc. place in fridge overnight for 12-16 hours.
[next morning] 10 am: bake
  • when ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 475°F. place both 8 oz mini dutch ovens (also called a cocotte) with lid on into the oven for about 30 minutes.
  • if you don't have two, you can bake them sequentially. just place the cocotte back in the oven for 5 minutes in between bakes to heat up again.
  • to prepare, flip dough out of sauce tin onto a small, pre-cut piece of parchment paper.
  • optional step: score your loaf.
  • transfer parchment paper and dough to piping hot cocotte.
  • with the lid on, bake for 8 minutes. then, take the lid off. bake for another 10-15 minutes uncovered, or whenever the crust turns a golden brown.
11 am: slice & enjoy
  • this loaf needs to cool for 15 minutes. enjoy with the smallest dab of butter 🧈 and jam 🍓
sourdough rosemary crackers

sourdough rosemary crackers

the last time i lived close to wilderness, i was 11. i had a patch of wood in my backyard. a small, trickling creek ran through it. wild turkeys, the size of vacuum cleaners, would often visit.

life whisked me away to more and more urban areas until life found me in the berkeley hills this winter. here, i once again remembered what it was to notice.

how to greet the bickering crows. how to spectate the scurrying squirrels. how to pay attention, in wonder.

at least once a week, too, i would walk down the street to ascend a steep, winding dirt trail above claremont canyon. what started as a simple hike became a stumbling prayer of gratitude.

i learned to recognize the wild rosemary bushes near the top. i began to visit often. when the bushes looked healthy and weren’t flowering, i would pick a few sprigs, taking home a piece of the mountain with me.

when the world gifts something as magical as fresh, wild rosemary, what else is there to do but to share something with the world in return? how do we show gratitude for gifts such as these?

this recipe is my offering. perhaps you, too, will pause when your hands run over the sprigs of rosemary, and when you smell it filling up the crevices of your home.

this ritual has become my small, delicious meditation on all the magic that grows from the earth. i hope it becomes yours too.

notes

i wasn’t planning on re-visiting sourdough crackers. i’ve already written two recipes.

yet i knew there were a few issues i needed to resolve: dryness, thickness, toughness of bite, blandness. this updated recipe addresses all these shortcomings with a wetter, more flavorful dough.

these sourdough rosemary crackers roll out into thin sheets more easily, and bake up more crisply. i am generous with the rosemary. they are pretty, they are aromatic, and they are delicious.

ingredients matter.

  • i strongly encourage you to use fresh rosemary over dried, and flaky salt to top.
  • i haven’t tried adding other herbs or spices, but i encourage experimentation!
  • one exception: if you plan on adding seeds, nuts, or other chunkier toppings, i’d recommend adding it at the end, while rolling out the dough rather than mixing it in. revisit my everything cracker recipe for more details on this process.

lastly but not leastly, i have a stiff starter at 80% hydration. please do adjust the amount of flour if yours differs.

Sourdough Rosemary Crackers

sourdough rosemary crackers

these crispy, aromatic crackers are the perfect way to use up large amounts of sourdough discard. they are the perfect addicting combination of salty, savory, and tangy.

formula

  • 1 cup unfed sourdough starter, 80% hydration (254 g)
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour (98 g)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil (32 g)
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (12 g)
  • tsp kosher salt (5 g)
  • 1 tbsp-ish flaky sea salt (to top, to taste)

method

  • cracker dough
  • combine starter, flour, oil, rosemary, and kosher salt together in a medium sized bowl. dough should be soft and pliable, not wet and sticky, nor dry and stiff.
  • knead into a ball for 1-2 min. cover and let rest for at least 1 hr, up to overnight at room temperature. i usually let it rest for 4 hrs.
  • preheat oven to 350°F. take out 2 baking sheets and set aside.
  • generously flour your surface. i use wheat flour, but you can use whatever flour you have on hand.
  • divide dough into 4 sections with a bench knife.
  • take one section of the dough.
  • as if you were rolling out pie crust or pasta, roll out each dough section into a thin, flat, rectangular piece. you want to roll out your crackers as thin as you can without the dough tearing when lifting. go as thin as you can go! flip over and rotate as needed to get an even thickness.
  • place 2 flat dough pieces horizontally per baking sheet. i smoosh the edges together so they become one piece.
  • top with flaky salt, to taste. i usually use a bit less than 1 tbsp to cover all 4 sections.
  • using a knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into approx. 2" x 2" squares.
  • bake for 20-25 minutes on the middle rack, or until crackers turn golden and are crispy. rotate halfway through if your oven heats unevenly. these can burn or overbake quite quickly so take care to check on them.
  • crackers may firm up a bit once out of the oven. let cool on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before eating.
sourdough cheese rolls

sourdough cheese rolls

i ended last year hung up on three things.

the first: a boy (isn’t it always?). quarantine fact: break ups are much, much harder during a global pandemic when there is not much else to do except sit on a rollercoaster ride of uncomfortable feelings and thought patterns.

the second: brooklyn. seeking proximity to family and an escape from the impending winter, i left new york. quarantine fact: there’s nothing like cinematic nostalgia to leave you on the ground curled up in a blanket burrito, sobbing. watching dash & lily destroyed me.

last, but certainly not least: my beloved arizmendi cheese rolls. back in august, i had scoured the internet for the recipe. i had racked my brain for the taste profile of the cheese. quarantine fact: i had tasted cheesy, bready greatness and i could not go back.

luckily, when i moved last month i discovered cheeseboard, arizmendi’s sister bakery. needless to say, i have since consumed many a cheese roll. luckily, this also had the happy side effect of mitigating the first two aforementioned hang ups. a small sacrifice in the name of research.

after much neighborly taste testing, i’m confident this formula produces a remarkable likeness to the original cheese roll, with improvements. i feel i’m doing a similar type of analysis and reconstruction for the other parts of my life. basking in the sunny, warm winter days. reconnecting with old friends over focaccia. trekking through miles of redwood forest.

i’m not saying these cheese rolls have magically cured my afflictions, though i notice progress everyday.

all i’m saying is this. if even one person is spared from the sadness that is a life without cheese rolls, then my work here will have been worth it.

notes

as always, please adjust the formula based on the hydration of your starter, and adjust the timing of the bulk rise based on the temperature of your kitchen. please treat all times listed below as a sample schedule. this recipe was developed during the winter, in a 60 degree kitchen at 50% humidity.

you might be tempted to use a different type of cheese. i strongly recommend you resist this urge. asiago cheese just hits different. i repeat. these rolls will not have the intended flavor without asiago.

as per my other experiences baking with cheese, parchment paper is a must! melty cheese can easily crust over.

this recipe preserves all of the loveability of these iconic rolls while also providing a softer bite, lighter texture, and smaller size. i’m especially excited about this recipe, and i hope you all will be too.

baker’s percentage & sample timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
all purpose flour50%
bread flour30%
whole wheat flour20%
water75%
salt2.5%
levain24%
asiago cheese35%
steptime
levain build9 hours
bulk rise12 hours
folds3 folds
proof2 hours
bake20-25 min

sourdough cheese rolls

sourdough asiago cheese rolls inspired by one of my favorite pastries at the iconic co-op bakeries cheeseboard collective in berkeley and arizmendi bakery in san francisco.

formula

levain build
  • 10 g unfed levain
  • 10 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 40 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 40 g water @ 85°F
dough formula
  • 150 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 90 g king arthur bread flour
  • 60 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 225 g water @ 95°F
  • 7 g sea salt
  • 75 g ripe levain
add-ins
  • 90 g asiago cheese (shredded)

method

9:30 am: feed levain
  • refresh your starter using levain build formula, and stiff starter method. in wintertime in a cold 60°F kitchen, it takes ~10 hrs for my starter to ripen. in a summertime kitchen, it might take closer to 6 hrs.
7:15 pm: autolyse
  • in a large bowl, mix all flours together. slowly add the water, mixing with a rubber spatula, making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated. let sit, covered, for 30-60 minutes.
8 pm: mix
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times. then, measure out ripe starter, and add to bowl.
  • mix using the pincer and stretch & fold method for about 6-7 minutes.
  • let dough rise overnight at room temp until it doubles and appears gaseous, ~12 hours in the wintertime (cold kitchen ~60°F), ~9 hrs in the shoulder seasons (kitchen ~67°F), and probably closer to ~7 hours in the summertime (hot kitchen ~75°F)
  • this dough needs 3-4 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30-45 min apart, starting at the beginning.
9 am: shape
  • gently handle gaseous dough onto a lightly floured surface. stretch gently into a square, about 8×8 inches, such that one side is floured, and the other is slightly tacky.
  • generously and evenly sprinkle ~2/3 (or more) of the shredded cheese onto the square, so the dough square is covered in cheese.
  • similar to rolling cinnamon rolls, roll the square into a cylinder. starting with the edge facing you, slowly roll up the square into a tight spiral.
  • with a bench knife or a string, cut the cylinder into six even pieces.
  • arrange the rolls of dough on parchment paper in your baking vessel of choice.
9:15 am: proof
  • cover and rest for 2 hours.
10:30 am: pre-heat
  • if you're using a cast-iron skillet, you will have to pre-heat the skillet with the oven. to do so, lift parchment paper and rolls off of cast-iron skillet, and set aside. cover again.
  • pre-heat oven to 475°F. place cast-iron skillet inside oven to heat.
11:30 am: bake
  • if using a cast iron skillet, remove now piping hot cast iron from oven and place the parchment paper with rolls back into cast iron.
  • generously top buns with additional cheese.
  • place buns on your middle rack.
  • bake for 20-25 minutes, or until buns are golden brown, checking once at 18 minutes.

baked sweet nian gao 年糕 (mochi cake)

baked sweet nian gao 年糕 (mochi cake)

this is a deviation from my regular sourdough content, but i promise it’s worth it. i baked a nian gao 年糕 for my birthday last week and it truly was one of the best things i’ve done for myself all year.

nian gao is an unleavened, gluten-free cake made from glutinuous rice flour. it’s usually eaten to celebrate chinese new year, and the name even literally translates to “year cake”.

you can steam, pan-fry, or bake nian gao, but i’ve always preferred it baked, just like my mother used to make it. the baked version has the perfect crusty, coconut-y exterior and a complementary chewy, gooey interior.

if life has taught me anything in my short 28 years of life, it’s that rules and convention should only be used as guidelines, especially for things that bring you joy. especially if it involves cake.

this cake is far too delicious to only be brought up once a year, and i hope you’ll find the same!

notes

  • you can sub up to half of the coconut milk with regular whole milk. i wouldn’t do more than that since coconut milk adds a lot to the flavor.
  • i use ogura-an brand sweetened red bean paste, which contributes to this cake’s sweetness.
  • erawan makes the only glutinuous rice flour i’ve ever used. look out for that iconic green lettering. bonus: one bag makes two cakes.
  • i adapted this recipe from marvellina’s baked nian gao. i removed the need for toasting the coconut, added sweetened red bean paste, and reduced the sugar significantly.

baked nian gao (mochi cake)

formula

dry ingredients
  • 225 g glutinous rice flour
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
wet ingredients
  • 350 g coconut milk
  • 20 g coconut oil (melted)
  • 2 eggs
additional
  • 100 g sweetened shredded coconut
  • 100 g sweetened mashed red bean paste
  • extra coconut oil for greasing

method

  • preheat oven to 350°F.
  • mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. then, make a well in the center.
  • add all wet ingredients to the well. whisk together to form a smooth and runny batter, scraping down sides with a spatula as needed.
  • lightly grease an 8 inch square or circular cake tin with coconut oil. then, pour batter into the pan.
  • plop mashed red bean paste into the batter, one small spoonful at a time, making sure to distribute the red bean paste evenly in the pan.
  • generously, and evenly, sprinkle the shredded coconut on top to finish
  • bake in the middle of the oven for 50-60 minutes, rotating once halfway through. the cake is done when the top of the cake is lightly golden brown and the center is no longer jiggly.
  • when complete, turn off the oven and leave the oven door slightly ajar and let the cake sit for 10 minutes. afterwards, let cool on cooling rack for at least an hour before cutting!

easy vegan sourdough discard zucchini fritters

easy vegan sourdough discard zucchini fritters

long, lazy summer days call for simple, produce-centric meals.

i love spending weekends gobbling up as many colors as i can. heirloom tomatoes topped with flaky sea salt. watermelon with handfuls of fresh mint. cucumbers with avocado and dill.

what are your favorite farmers market finds? summer squash is one of mine.

every june, zucchini and its friends burst onto the farm stand and backyard garden scene in abundance. i love cooking them with eggs, putting them in dumpling filling, and baking them into quick breads. i have delicious memories of my grandma cooking them up with noodles for a breakfast noodle soup.

lately, i’ve renewed my love for zucchini in the form of fritters.

crispy and light on the outside, full of oniony and garlicy goodness on the inside. i like to serve them hot, sometimes with a dollop of cold yogurt. for extra fancy summertime vibes, i garnish with some freshly picked herbs.

best of all, they’re super simple and super fast. this verison is also completely vegan thanks to sourdough discard.

notes

the final batter is fairly thick. to reduce the wateriness of the zucchini, i include two additional steps.

  • first, adding salt in the beginning will draw water out of the zucchini.
  • second, squeezing the water out will prevent the batter from becoming too runny. if your final batter still seems too watery or loose, just stir in a bit more flour.

as always, please adjust the recipe to suit your starter’s hydration. as a reminder, i have a stiff starter at 80% hydration.

although you could bake these fritters, i strongly recommend frying them. in my experiments, they tasted way better, and the crispiness can’t be beat.

but you probably already knew i was gonna say that 😉

sourdough discard zucchini fritters

makes 6 small fritters

formula

  • 200 g zucchini, grated (1 md to lg zucchini)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 75 g onion, finely diced (1/4 of a large onion)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 65 g sourdough discard
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste
  • neutral oil for frying or nonstick spray for baking

method

  • shredded zucchini
  • add shredded zucchini and salt to a medium sized bowl. cover and let sit for 10 min.
  • using a cheese cloth or with your hands over the sink or another bowl, squeeze out as much water from the zucchini as you can. a lot of water comes out! before squeezing my zucchini weighed ~200 g, and after squeezing it weighed ~125 g.
  • add the chopped onion, garlic powder, and black pepper to the bowl. mix thoroughly.
  • lastly, the add sourdough starter discard. combine until batter is thick and ingredients gel together.
to fry
  • using a cast iron skillet or another heavy bottom pan, heat a layer of neutral oil until hot. to test when oil is ready, drip a small droplet of water into the oil. if oil sizzles, the oil is hot enough to start frying.
  • drop 1/4 cup sized mounds into the sizzling oil, and flatten with a spatula to pancake thickness.
  • fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. flip with spatula, and repeat on the other side.
  • remove from oil, and set aside on a paper towel.
to serve
  • serve with a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt, along with fresh herbs like mint or dill!
sourdough discard sesame flatbread (shao bing 燒餅)

sourdough discard sesame flatbread (shao bing 燒餅)

this is the very first guest post on this blog! charlotte, the author, and i share a long, beautiful friendship over our love and appreciation for food (among many, many other things). we first met in 6th grade in surburban minnesota! her culinary creativity constantly inspires my own. i’ve made this recipe of hers a few times now, devouring most of the batch immediately after making them. without further ado, i’ll let charlotte take it from here. i hope you love these shao bing as much as we do!

– erica

taiwanese shao bing, as told and adapted by charlotte

while versions of this sesame flatbread abound throughout the chinese speaking world, most of my memories of shao bing 燒餅 are from summers spent in taiwan. there, shao bing are often served with a kind of fried cruller— you tiao 油條—sandwiched in between its flaky layers, then dunked in a steaming bowl of freshly pressed soy milk.

when i was younger, we would go to the neighborhood breakfast shop with my Ah Gong and Ah Ma, still shaking off the jet lag of a long international flight, sweating in the heat and humidity of the morning. we’d cram around one of the plastic tables ringed by round metal stools and order from the Lao Ban, watching him sling ladles of rice milk and flip rows of egg crepes at the front of the shop. everywhere the smell of frying dough, steaming xiao long bao, motorcycles, sun-on-asphalt. these little breakfast shops, once ubiquitous in taipei, have mostly given way to western-style cafes and bakeries.

but a few remain, and my family and i make a point to go every year. unable to travel to see family in taiwan this year, we’ve resorted to sighing longingly over old photos of past breakfasts, and occasionally attempting to recreate our favorites.

shao bing is one of my mother’s favorite breakfasts, and my sister and i endeavored to recreate them for mother’s day. i very loosely adapted this recipe from edwina at cooking in chinglish, incorporating sourdough discard rather than using instant yeast.

to serve

eat immediately after baking, for breakfast. we like them split open on the side with a scallion-flecked omelette nestled into the layers, or filled with heaps of fresh alfalfa sprouts and tomatoes and a dash of salt. honestly, they’re also pretty great plain.

serve with some freshly made peanut rice milk for a taste of a classic taiwanese breakfast.

bonus recipe: peanut rice milk

1/4 cup uncooked short grain white rice
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted
3 cups water
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

soak white rice 6-8 hours or overnight, then blend with peanuts and water until smooth. heat in a pan, stirring, until the milk begins to bubble and thicken. add sugar, and cook to desired consistency. tastes just as good iced as warm!

makes 2 servings

notes from erica

storage: in my experience, these don’t keep very well beyond a day. if you were to store them for later, i’d recommend underbaking them slightly, freezing them, and then popping them in a toaster oven for ~3-5 minutes to crisp them back up.

adjustments: as always, please adjust flour and water amounts based on the hydration of your starter.

oil: charlotte uses olive oil and i’ve tried both canola and vegetable oil. any of these work for a “neutral oil”.

sourdough discard sesame flatbread (taiwanese shaobing 燒餅)

crispy and studded with sesame seeds on the outside, soft and layered on the inside, this adaptation of a taiwanese breakfast favorite uses sourdough discard instead of yeast.

formula

dough
  • 180 g all purpose flour
  • 4 g sugar (1 tsp)
  • 105 g warm to hot water
  • 35 g sourdough starter discard (80% hydration)
  • 13 g neutral oil (1 tbsp)
  • 2 g salt (1/2 tsp)
oil paste
  • 35 g neutral oil (2.5 tbsp)
  • 30 g all purpose flour
  • 5 g cornstarch
topping
  • toasted white sesame seeds
  • black sesame seeds (optional)

method

prepare dough
  • mix flour, sugar, and 100 g water together in a medium sized bowl until it forms a cohesive dough. it should be pretty stiff. cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • with wet hands, mix in the remaining water and dough ingredients. knead well until it forms a soft, smooth dough, about 5-10 minutes by hand.
  • cover and let rest on counter for at least 4 hours, and up to 12 hours.
prepare oil paste
  • sift flour and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
  • heat oil in a pan on medium heat until hot. stirring constantly, add the sifted mixture into the oil, until the paste is darkens slightly and is toasty smelling (mmmm), about 5-10 minutes.
  • the paste should be smooth and spreadable, and should have the approximate consistency of tahini. if it is clumping, add more oil. if it seems too thin, add a little more flour.
  • pour into a small bowl, and set aside to cool.
assemble
  • preheat oven to 425°F.
  • on a lightly floured surface, dump out your dough. flour your rolling pin, and roll out dough into a roughly 10 x 16 in rectangle.
  • orient the rectangle such that the long side is facing you, and the shorter sides are on your left and right.
  • leaving about 1/2 in at the top, spread the oil paste to cover the surface area of the rectangle. you could do this with a spatula or your fingers!
  • like you would a cinnamon roll or a scallion pancake, slowly roll the dough up. pinch the seam at the top to close.
  • use a bench knife to divide the roll into 6 even sections.
shape
  • take one chunk of dough. fold the dough so you can pinch the cut ends together, forming a seam. if it starts to come apart a little, no worries! repeat for each piece.
  • take your first piece and orient it such that the seam side is up and is pointed towards you. using your rolling pin, flatten the dough it into an oval. the seam should be perpendicular to the rolling pin.
  • then, create a little dough envelope by first folding the top third of the oval down, and then folding the bottom third of the oval up.
  • repeat this process with each piece of dough until you have 6 dough envelopes.
  • repeat this rolling and folding procedure a second time for each piece, making sure you are always rolling perpendicular to the seam and folding the seam side in.
  • cover and let rest for 5-10 minutes to let the dough relax. in the meantime, prepare your sesame seed topping and line a large 18×13 in baking sheet or two smaller cookie sheets with parchment paper.
bake
  • take a roll of dough and press the smooth side into the sesame seeds. if the dough doesn't feel sticky, you can first brush or spritz the surface of the dough with a little bit of water before pressing into the seeds.
  • with the sesame seed side facing up, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 5-6 in long, and 3 in wide. set the completed flatbread sesame-side face up onto the baking sheet.
  • repeat with each piece of dough. these don't really spread, so don't worry about putting them close together.
  • bake for about 12 minutes, until they start to get golden brown on top but before they turn fully golden.
  • let cool on cooling rack for a couple minutes before digging in. to fill, slice along the side, or cut open with scissors.
cheddar pepper sourdough

cheddar pepper sourdough

we could all use a little more comfort in our lives right now, even in the blistering heat of summer. for me, no other food combination spells out comfort more than cheese and carbs.

this loaf deliciously combines the best of both worlds. the savory creaminess from the melted cheese comes in sporadic pockets, with the subtle spiciness from the black pepper running throughout.

this cheese and black pepper combo has easily become one of my favorites.

notes

as always, please adjust the formula based on the hydration of your starter, and adjust the timing of the bulk rise based on the temperature of your kitchen. this recipe was developed during the summer, in a 80 degree kitchen. please add an hour during the shoulder months, and two hours in winter months.

i used mccormick’s ground black pepper to develop this recipe, which i found to be fairly weak in flavor. i liked the flavor better at 2.5%, which for a 400 g flour loaf was 10 g of black pepper. i did not try this with freshly cracked black pepper. if you do bake this with freshly cracked black pepper which usually carries a stronger flavor, please be sure to reduce the amount.

cubing a block of cheese yourself is the secret to melty cheese pockets! shredded cheese will not yield the same effect. i like to use sharp, white cheddar cheese, but i bet a similar type of cheese would work just as well.

parchment paper is important here because the cheese will melt and get stuck to your dutch oven! that being said, the parchment paper might also get stuck to the loaf due to melted cheese. peel and scrape it off before enjoying.

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
all purpose flour60%
whole wheat flour20%
bread flour20%
water80%
salt2.5%
levain22%
cheddar cheese30%
black pepper2.5%
steptime
levain build6 hours
bulk rise6.5 hours
folds4 folds &
1 lamination
cold proof12 – 16 hours
bake45 minutes

cheddar pepper sourdough

like mac and cheese in sourdough bread, this loaf is speckled with black pepper and caves of melted cheddar cheese.

formula

levain build
  • 15 g unfed levain
  • 15 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 60 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 60 g water @ 85°F
dough formula
  • 240 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 80 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 80 g king arthur bread flour
  • 320 g water @ 90°F
  • 10 g sea salt
  • 88 g ripe levain
add-ins
  • 120 g white sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
  • 8 – 10 g black pepper, to taste

method

  • cubed cheese and pepper
7 am: feed levain
  • refresh your starter using levain build formula, and stiff starter method.
12 pm: autolyse
  • in a large bowl, mix all flours together. slowly add the water, mixing with a rubber spatula, making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated. let sit, covered, for 60 minutes.
1 pm: bulk fermentation
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times. then, measure out ripe starter, and add to bowl.
  • mix, alternating between using the rubaud and pincer method, for about 6-7 minutes.
  • let dough rise at room temp until it doubles and appears gaseous, about 6.5 hours in the summertime (kitchen ~80°F)
  • this dough needs 4 sets of coil folds, spaced 45 min apart, starting at the beginning. after the first coil fold, perform lamination to incorporate cheese and pepper.
  • sample schedule:
    – 1:45 pm fold #1
    – 2:30 pm laminate in cubed cheese and ground pepper
    – 3:15 pm fold #2
    – 4 pm fold #3
    – 4:45 pm fold #4
7:30 pm: shape
  • i like to shape these like a batard.
  • on a generously floured surface, gently guide dough onto the table. first tug and fold the dough lightly on itself in each direction: top, left, right, bottom, like you're folding up paper.
  • then, knit the left and right sides together like you're stitching up a seam.
  • finish by taking the top end of the dough, and rolling it up like a scroll, perpendicular to the seam.
  • flip dough over, seam side down on an unfloured surface. pinch ends shut.
7:35 pm: proof
  • generously flour an unlined bannetone (for the swirl aesthetic). flip the dough over with a bench knife, and gently transfer the dough, seasm side up, into the bannetone.
  • place bannetone inside of a plastic bag to cover, and place in fridge overnight for 12 – 16 hours.
[next morning] 9:30 am: preheat
  • place dutch oven with lid on into the oven. pre-heat oven to 495°F for an hour.
10:30 am: bake
  • scored loaf
  • dough is proofed when it passes the finger dent test. remove bannetone from fridge.
  • very slowly, flip dough out of bannetone onto a cut piece of parchment paper.
  • score your loaf with a lame. i like to score this with a single deep cut down the center with some optional lighter flourishes to each side.
  • transfer scored dough to dutch oven. decrease temperature to 475°F. with the lid on, bake for 30 minutes. then, take the lid off. bake for another 12 – 15 minutes, or whenever the crust turns the color you like it (i go for a pretty deep brown).
12:30 pm: slice & enjoy
  • let this loaf cool on a wire rack (or something else that allows the air to circulate) for at least 2 hours before slicing.
sourdough discard kimchi pancakes (kimchijeon)

sourdough discard kimchi pancakes (kimchijeon)

although my korean food journey began with bowls of stone pot bibimbap in restaurants, i owe the bulk of my learning and appreciation to my korean friends. i have many happy memories of cooking for each other, swapping recipes from our childhoods and stories of our mothers.

those who are fans of my sourdough discard okonomiyaki know i’m a lover of savory pancakes. i’ve adapted this kimchi pancake recipe from maangchi, a true cooking legend. instead of flour and water, sourdough starter discard acts as the primary binder.

the tangy, funky, sourdough discard pairs beautifully with the tangy, funky kimchi. with only 8 ingredients and a 3 minute cook time, these pancakes are super easy, quick, and fun to make.

bonus: they’re vegan! just be sure to grab a vegan kimchi like sinto gourmet or chi kitchen. most store bought brands have seafood of some sort. you can also make it yourself if you’re feeling bold.

notes

the texture of this batter should resemble pancake batter. if it feels runny, add in all purpose flour until it reaches a firmer consistency.

this batter makes enough for two 8″ pancakes. feel free to modify the size of your pancakes! smaller ones will be easier to flip.

lastly, please adjust the recipe to suit your starter’s hydration. i have a stiff starter at 80% hydration. for help, my sourdough hydration math post and calculator explains how to calculate adjustments.

as a quick example, if your starter is 100%, the batter may come out too runny! to adjust, decrease sourdough discard amount to 130 g, and add an additional 20 g of all purpose flour.

sourdough discard kimchi pancakes (kimchijeon)

hot, crispy, chewy, crunchy, tangy, sour, and sweet all at the same time, these kimchi pancakes are incredibly fast and easy to make. adapted from maangchi, and can easily be made vegan.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes

formula

  • 140 g kimchi
  • 80 g onion, chopped (about 1/4 of a medium onion)
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 8 g kimchi brine (~2 tbsp)
  • 8 g soy sauce (~2 tbsp)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 g sugar (1/2 tsp)
  • 150 g sourdough discard
for frying
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil, vegetable or canola per pancake

method

  • combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, except the sourdough discard.
  • add the sourdough discard, and mix again until mixture becomes batter-like.
  • heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil in a 8-10" sized skillet on high heat until oil sizzles.
  • pour 1/2 of the batter into pan. spread out evenly into a pancake shape. cook for about 90 seconds, until side is golden brown.
  • using a thin spatula, first loosen edges. then, slide spatula underneath pancake and flip over onto the other side. cook the second side until golden brown, about 90 seconds again.
  • slide pancake carefully onto a plate or a cutting board. let cool slightly before slicing and eating. repeat with second pancake.
  • top optionally with sesame seeds and more chopped scallions. serve with dipping sauce of your choice.
extra crispy potstickers with sourdough discard skirt 煎饺

extra crispy potstickers with sourdough discard skirt 煎饺

years ago on one of my buzzfeed tasty binges, i saw a method of pan frying potstickers i had never seen before. using a cornstarch slurry, the mystery hand effortless created a lacy, crispy, delicious looking “skirt”.

as i recipe tested my dumplings last weekend, a light bulb went off in my head. what if i replaced the cornstarch slurry with watered down sourdough discard?

a few rounds of trial and error later, lo and behold — the crispiest, most delicious addition to a potsticker was born.

for the skeptics out there, do not sleep on this!! it’s absurdly good.

dumpling series

this is the last part of my three part series on sourdough discard dumplings!

  • in the first part, i explain my formula and method for making dumpling wrappers using sourdough discard.
  • in the second part, i focus on shandong style dumpling wrapping technique (with a vegan filling recipe!), and how i like to pay fry them.
  • this part describes my formula and method for adding a pretty, extra crispy skirt on your pan fried dumplings with a sourdough discard slurry.

read them all together to re-create my sourdough dumplings, or mix and match with different techniques or store-bought items.

notes

please adjust the hydration of the slurry based on your sourdough starter.

you can use this crispy skirt recipe and technique with any sort of homemade dumpling. it should even work with store-bought potstickers!

potstickers with extra crispy skirt from side angle

extra crispy potstickers with sourdough discard skirt

extra delicious, extra pretty potstickers decorated with sourdough discard slurry to create the extra crispy skirt. this recipe makes enough for a single 8" skillet serving. scale as needed, adjusting for skillet size.
Cook Time 11 minutes

formula

  • 25 g sourdough starter discard
  • 100 g warm water

method

  • on medium to medium-high heat, heat up a thin layer of oil in a 8" non-stick skillet.
  • while waiting, mix together discard and water with a fork or a whisk.
  • place 5 – 6 potstickers in a pinwheel shape in sizzling skillet. fry until lightly golden, about 1 minute.
  • then, slowly pour liquid slurry mixture into skillet. it should completely cover the bottom of the skillet.
  • cover with lid immediately. cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
  • remove cover, and let cook until water completely evaporated, about another 5 minutes. while cooking, loosen up sides with a spatula.
  • potstickers are done when skirt is thin, dry, and crisp. sides should be loose enough so that you can slide the spatula underneath the crispy skirt, and transfer it onto a plate.
  • make more slurry and repeat as desired with remaining potstickers. if you know you're making 5 batches of 6 potstickers each in total, you could make 5x the slurry up front, pouring 125g of it per batch, making sure to stir well before each pour.
  • enjoy on its own or with a black vinegar chili oil garlic-based dipping sauce!

sourdough discard dumplings 餃子 part ii

sourdough discard dumplings 餃子 part ii

dumpling series

this is the second part of my three part series on sourdough discard dumplings!

  • in the first part, i explain my formula and method for making dumpling wrappers using sourdough discard.
  • in this part, i focus on shandong style dumpling wrapping technique (with a vegan filling recipe!), and how i like to pay fry them.
  • the third part describes my formula and method for adding a pretty, extra crispy skirt on your pan fried dumplings with a sourdough discard slurry.

read them all together to re-create my sourdough dumplings, or mix and match with different techniques or store-bought items.

notes

this guide assumes you are beginning with a set of dumpling wrappers.

after wrapping your dumplings, you can freeze them for 3 months. i put dumplings on a well floured sheet pan and pop them into the freezer until firm before transferring them into a re-usable ziploc like container for longer term freezer storage.

easy vegan filling

vegan cabbage dumpling filling

formula

  • 200 g firm tofu
  • 200 g cabbage
  • 10 g salt
  • sesame oil
  • soy sauce

method

  • in a food processor, blend firm tofu until smooth, like the consistency of cream cheese. remove and transfer to large bowl.
  • blend cabbage in food processor until cabbage is in fine chunks. then add to tofu, and mix until well combined into a cabbage-tofu paste.
  • heat up a small amount of oil in a large skillet on medium – high. when sizzling, add cabbage-tofu mixture. add 10 g salt, and a drizzle of sesame oil and soy sauce to taste.
  • cook for 3 – 4 minutes until cabbage changes color and any liquid has evaporated.
  • let cool for at least 15 minutes before using.

shandong style wrapping method

to begin, hold a single wrapper flat in your open-facing left hand.

next, put a spoonful of filling inside the center of the wrapper. this photo shows a generous amount, but i would start off with less filling until you get a hang of it. you may need to pack your filling slightly.

after filling, pinch opposite sides together at the middle with your other hand so it looks kind of like a cannoli.

to close, we start at the left end of the dumpling.

start by tucking the filling in on the left side by poking it lightly inward. then, fold the dough at the tip inward slightly and firmly pinch shut.

continue firmly pinching upwards until you meet the center pinch. the dough can overlap at times but you don’t need to be precise with it.

when shut securely, repeat with the other side! give it an extra squeeze for closure.

when complete, set aside on a well floured surface, and repeat with the rest of your dumplings. freeze or cook them immediately.

pan frying potstickers

to cook, i usually pan fry or boil them. serious eats wrote up a great guide that approximates what my family does for both fresh and frozen homemade dumplings.

on medium to medium-high heat, heat up a thin layer of oil in a non-stick skillet. place as many dumplings as you can fit in sizzling skillet. fry until lightly golden, about 1 minute.

then, pour a thin layer of water, covering the bottom of the skillet. cover the lid immediately and cook for 5 minutes. remove cover and cook until bottoms are golden brown and water is completely evaporated.

sourdough discard dumplings 餃子 part i

sourdough discard dumplings 餃子 part i

dumpling series

this is the first part of my three part series on sourdough discard dumplings!

  • in this part, i explain my formula and method for making dumpling wrappers using sourdough discard.
  • in the second part, i focus on shandong style dumpling wrapping technique (with a vegan filling recipe!), and how i like to pay fry them.
  • the third part describes my formula and method for adding a pretty, extra crispy skirt on your pan fried dumplings with a sourdough discard slurry.

read them all together to re-create my sourdough dumplings, or mix and match with different techniques or store-bought items.

my story

i learned how to make dumplings from generations of women in my family passing down this one tradition.

from a young age my mother made it clear to me that the way we made dumplings was not like other chinese families. first, she said, we made our own wrappers. this skill, she urged, was not one to be overlooked.

thus, my childhood kitchen table became my training ground. me struggling to roll out dumpling wrappers while my palms hurt, mom generously wrapping plump morsels, dad manning the boiling station, brother too young to contribute beyond eating (eventually stepping up into assistant wrapper).

my grandparents and i
my grandparents and i in tai an 泰 安 (2015)

there are many different ways to make “chinese” dumplings. each region has its preferences for wrapping, pleating, filling, and cooking methods.

shandong 山东 style dumplings are known for thicker, chewier dumpling wrappers. they are fat with filling, and don’t care to impress with braided pleating. oftentimes my mother squeezes them shut in a dual cupping pinching motion i have yet to master.

though incorporating sourdough discard into the dumpling dough is far from traditional, it does create a flavor that’s very compatible with the black vinegar sauce and fillings i usually use (cabbage or carrots).

more importantly, i wanted to develop this recipe to bring together two of my most important worlds. i wanted to share this piece of my story with all of you, and share it in an incredibly delicious way.

notes

although the formula is new, this is the process my family has always followed for homemade dumpling wrappers. the rolling method is tricky and will take practice to get used to. i can’t promise that it’s foolproof, but i can promise to try my best in communicating what the women in my family have taught me.

as always, please adjust the water and flour amounts based on the hydration of your starter.

if you have leftover dough, you can use it to make a scallion pancake.

uncooked dumplings

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
all purpose flour100%
water50%
unfed levain (discard)50%
steptime
autolyse2-3 hr
fry7-10 min
boil5 min

sourdough discard dumpling wrappers 餃子皮

mildly tangy DIY dumpling wrappers to wrap any filling of your liking. pairs particularly well with veggies that taste good pickled, like cabbage and carrots.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

formula

  • 200 g all purpose flour
  • 100 g warm water
  • 100 g sourdough starter discard

method

  • in a large bowl, mix flour and warm water until it just comes together (the dough will look slightly stringy). then, add the sourdough starter discard.
  • knead the dough together for 3-4 minutes into a ball. the dough should appear smoother, but will not look completely smooth.
  • let rest, covered, for 2-3 hours.
  • take the dough out onto a floured surface, and cut in half.
  • flatten one piece of dough into a rectangle that is 1 inch tall, so that the short end is 2 inches wide, and the long end is around 7 – 8 inches. cut length wise.
  • cut each dough piece into 1 inch-ish segments, resulting in 15 or so segments. roll each segment in flour.
  • flatten each segment into a disc shape.
  • on a floured surface using a rolling pin, roll out each puffy disc into a smooth, flattened dumpling wrapper. you want the edges of the disc to end up slightly thinner, and the center to be slightly thicker. this is both so that when the edges are folded together the thickness will be similar to the rest of the dumpling, and also to prevent tears while cooking.
  • i get this result by first tugging the edge of the puffy disc with my left hand, while rolling over a small section of it on the opposite side with my right hand over the rolling pin. then, i rotate counter-clockwise a small amount, and repeat the rolling motion. this light tugging, rolling, and rotating sequence is repeated until the wrapper is flattened.
  • when complete, put completed wrapper on a well floured surface.
  • repeat with each disc — keep well floured and do not stack to prevent sticking!
  • use immediately to wrap your dumplings or potstickers. no need to wet these when wrapping, as the fresh dough should produce enough stickiness for the sides to naturally adhere to each other.
  • repeat all over again with the other half of the dough, to get around 30 dumpling wrappers (and dumplings) in total.
olive sourdough

olive sourdough

i wish i could say that perusing the olive and cheese selection at the park slope food coop is what inspired me to make this loaf, but alas. i must confess i made this loaf because i once loved a man who really, really loved olives.

he didn’t live in new york (or even in this country), and for some reason i got it in my head that if only he tried a piece of this bread, he would consider moving brooklyn. yes, the loaf was truly that tasty.

a year has gone and passed since then. my hypothesis was never tested, as our relationship was too short-lived for him to try this bread.

luckily, this recipe lives on.

salty, tangy, always leaving you wanting more. feed this to all the lovers and olive lovers in your life. please do let me know if it has the intended effect 😉

notes

be sure to buy pre-pitted olives! i most certainly, definitely am not including this because i learned this the hard way heh (but seriously, de-pitting them was a n00b lesson you will now not have to repeat).

for lamination videos, check out my guava cream cheese post or @fullproofbaking.

my regular batch of caveats: please be wary of starter hydration and seasonal timing adjustments (for me it means about +1 hr in the summer, and about -1 hr in the winter).

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
bread flour50%
all purpose flour20%
whole wheat flour20%
rye flour10%
water80%
salt2.5%
levain24%
steptime
levain build7 hours
bulk rise8 hours
folds3 folds
cold proof14 – 18 hours
bake45 minutes

olive sourdough

the rye, wheat, and olive combo makes for a salty, tangy, loaf that always leaves you wanting more. a great accompaniment to a cheese plate.

formula

levain build
  • 20 g levain
  • 80 g water @ 85-90°F
  • 20 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 80 g king arthur all purpose flour
dough formula
  • 164 g king arthur bread flour
  • 66 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 67 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 33 g rye flour
  • 257 g water @ 90-95°F
  • 8 g sea salt
  • 80 g levain
  • 7 g additional water
lamination
  • 82 g pitted olives

method

11pm: feed levain
  • refresh your starter using levain build formula, and stiff starter method.
[next morning] 7 am: autolyse
  • in a separate large bowl, mix all flours together.
  • slowly add the water, mixing with a rubber spatula, making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated. let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
7:30 am: mix
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough, and pour additional water over it to help the salt absorb. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times.
  • measure out the ripe starter, and add to dough.
  • mix using the pincer method, for about 6-7 minutes. target final temperature should be 78 degrees.
7:37 am bulk fermentation
  • this dough bulks for about 8 hrs at room temp during spring/fall, longer if your kitchen runs cool or during winter, and shorter if your kitchen runs warm or during the summer.
  • this dough needs around 3-4 stretch and folds (or coil folds), and an additional round of lamination after the first fold to incorporate the olives. these steps should be spaced about 45 minutes apart if possible.
  • example schedule:
    8:15 AM fold #1. 9 AM lamination. 9:45 AM fold #2. 10:30 AM fold #3.
9 am: lamination
  • cut pitted olives in half.
  • perform lamination by first stretching dough like a pizza crust, and then spreading olive chunks evenly across the dough. fold onto itself into a rectangular shape.
3 pm: shape
  • slowly transfer dough from bowl onto a lightly floured surface, so it lays out in a vaguely rectangular looking shape.
  • i like shaping these like a batard, using what i like to call the "burrito method."
  • 1. gently tug the top, short end of the vaguely rectangular looking shape, and fold over a small section.
  • 2. grab a tiny bit of dough from the left side, and tug it over onto the right side. grab a tiny bit of dough from the right side and tug it over onto the left side. continue pattern downwards to form a stitch-like appearance.
  • 3. when you get close to the bottom end, fold over a small piece upwards. then do one final stitch to seal.
  • 4. take the top end of the burrito, and roll it over onto itself, kind of like a sushi roll.
  • 5. seal the ends by pinching the holes shut.
3:05 pm: proof
  • lightly flour a lined bannetone or other proofing vesicle. flip the top of the dough over, and gently transfer the dough seam side up into the bannetone.
  • place bannetone inside of a plastic bag to cover, and place in fridge overnight for 14-18 hours.
[next morning] 6 am: preheat
  • place dutch oven with lid on into the oven. pre-heat oven to 495°F for an hour.
6:55 am: score
  • dough is proofed when it passes the finger dent test. remove bannetone from fridge.
  • optional: sprinkle coarse corn meal on the bottom. flip dough out of bannetone onto a cut piece of parchment paper.
  • using a lame, score length wise, about 1/8" deep, and 1/2" away from both edges. sometimes, i optionally add a leaf design as well for flourish
7 am: bake
  • slowly and carefully lift the parchment paper with the dough into the hot dutch oven. decrease temperature to 475°F. bake for 30 minutes with the lid on.
  • take the lid off, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or whenever the crust turns the color you like it (i go medium brown for this loaf).
10 am: slice & enjoy
  • let this loaf cool on a wire rack (or something else that allows the air to circulate) for at least 2 hours before slicing.
country brown sourdough

country brown sourdough

i don’t talk about ken forkish enough. i really should because he changed my life.

in 2016, my coworker, artur, brought in a loaf of bread (so crusty, so good) and evangelized a book he used to make it, flour water salt yeast (fwsy, for short). artur kept bringing in bread, each loaf better and more complex than the one before. and i, carb loving individual that i am, kept on eating it, each bite more curious than before.

i picked up a copy later that month and started baking alongside arty.

ken became my first teacher of sourdough, and fwsy became my bible. his story of transitioning from disillusioned banker to james beard celebrated bakery and pizzeria owner resonated with a younger version of me, a frustrated software engineer looking for, if not meaning and fulfillment, at least something where she didn’t have to stare at a screen for hours.

i have read the entire book (and have baked 90% of it) from cover to cover. my copy, you could say, is well loved. the entire middle chunk can be pulled out. there is dried, crusted sourdough starter on the guide to making your own levain pages. you can’t miss the bits of crusted up dough on the recipes i really struggled with (all i can say is, ken, you must have a frigid portland kitchen).

this recipe is inspired by one of my favorite loaves in the book, his country brown sourdough. i’ve incorporated newer techniques that work better for me in wetter doughs, and paired it with the familiar flavor of his country brown. mildly tangy, soft, accessible, and so very versatile.

notes

as always, please adjust the formula based on the hydration of your starter, and adjust the timing of the bulk rise based on the temperature of your kitchen (1 hr shorter during summer, 1 hr longer during winter).

i mentioned that this is a pretty slack, wet dough due to the high hydration and lower protein content of the flours. to introduce more strength, i extend the autolyse to 1 hr (as opposed to 30 min), use the rubaud and slap & fold methods for mixing, and load up on coil folds.

please refer to the above linked videos for the techniques i mention in my recipe, as i do not describe them further.

feel free to experiment with any whole wheat variety. i’ve baked this with both king arthur whole wheat, and locally grown red fife!

the link to ken’s book is an amazon affiliate link. this means if you purchase it from this page, i’ll make money from it. that doesn’t affect my opinion of this book at all. know that i only recommend products and resources that have helped me immensely on my personal sourdough journey and that i consider to be a worthwhile investment.

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
all purpose flour70%
whole wheat flour30%
water80%
salt2.5%
levain25%
steptime
levain build7 hours
bulk rise8 – 8.5 hours
folds4 – 5 folds
cold proof12 hours
bake45 minutes

country brown sourdough

a staple, versatile loaf with a long ferment and high hydration for a tangy, custardy, and light crumb.
Total Time 1 day 9 hours

formula

levain build
  • 15 g levain
  • 15 g king arthur whole wheat flour
  • 60 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 60 g water @ 85-90°F
dough formula
  • 280 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 120 g whole wheat flour of choice
  • 320 g water @ 90-95°F
  • 10 g sea salt
  • 100 g levain

method

7 am: feed levain
  • refresh your starter using levain build formula, and stiff starter method.
1 pm: autolyse
  • in a large bowl, mix all flours together. slowly add the water, mixing with a rubber spatula, making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated. let sit, covered, for 60 minutes.
2 pm: bulk fermentation
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times. then, measure out ripe starter, and add to bowl. mix, alternating between slap & fold and rubaud method, for about 6-7 minutes.
  • this dough needs 4-5 sets of coil folds, spaced 45 min apart, at the beginning.
  • let dough rise at room temp until doubles and appears gaseous, about 8.5 hours in the springtime.
10:30 pm: shape
  • i like to shape these like a boule.
  • on a generously floured surface, gently guide dough onto the table. first fold the dough on itself: top, left, right, bottom, like you're folding up paper. then, finish with a few stretch and folds around to create a circular, dome shape.
  • flip dough over, seam side down on an unfloured surface, and gently tug to seal.
10:35 pm: proof
  • generously flour an unlined bannetone (for the swirl aesthetic). flip the dough over with a bench knife, and gently transfer the dough, seasm side up, into the bannetone.
  • place bannetone inside of a plastic bag to cover, and place in fridge overnight for 12 hours.
[next morning] 10 am: preheat
  • place dutch oven with lid on into the oven. pre-heat oven to 495°F for an hour.
10:55 am: score
  • dough is proofed when it passes the finger dent test. remove bannetone from fridge.
  • very slowly, flip dough out of bannetone onto a cut piece of parchment paper.
  • i like to score this with a box. two light parallel cuts horizontally, followed by two light parallel cuts vertically.
11 am: bake
  • transfer scored dough to dutch oven. decrease temperature to 485°F. with the lid on, bake for 30 minutes. then, decrease to 475°F and take the lid off. bake for another 12 – 15 minutes, or whenever the crust turns the color you like it (i go for a pretty deep brown).
2 pm: slice & enjoy
  • let this loaf cool on a wire rack (or something else that allows the air to circulate) for at least 2 hours before slicing.
sourdough hydration math

sourdough hydration math

you may have seen the following phrase or a variation of the phrase floating around my blog posts.

“i have a stiff starter that’s 80% hydration. please adjust amount of flour in final dough to account for your starter’s hydration.”

you may have even wondered, “um *ahem* erica. more on this word adjust please.”

if that’s you, you’re definitely not alone. this post is for you, and i’m way more excited than i should be to talk about math and baking at the same time.

before i begin, a surprise

i know not everyone likes to nerd out on ratios. i’ve made a few cute calculators you can use to make things a bit easier and less manual at sourdoughcalculator.com

first things first

it’s important to know what hydration your sourdough starter is. an easy way to figure this out is to write down the amount of flour and water per feeding, and divide the water amount over the flour amount.

i usually feed my starter 30g of flour, and 24g of water. 24 / 30 = 0.8, meaning my starter is at 80% hydration. at 80% hydration, my stiff starter has a dough-like consistency.

many people feed their starter equal proportions of flour and water, meaning their starter is at 100% hydration. at 100% hydration, the liquid starter has a batter-like consistency.

let’s do some math

now the fun part (caveat: my fun might be much, much nerdier than your fun).

we can reverse calculate the amount of flour and water in our sourdough starter. because our sourdough starter is just two ingredients, and because the amount of water is just a proportion of our flour amount, our equation becomes:

amount of starter = amount of flour + hydration * amount of flour

this equation says, the weight of my starter is equal to the weight of the flour and water it’s made out of, and the weight of water is just a proportion of the weight of flour.

since we already know the amount of starter and our hydration, we can solve for the amount of flour.

a practical example calculation: if i have 100g of my stiff starter at 80% hydration, i can calculate the amount of flour by doing:

100 g = x + 0.8x

where x represents the amount of flour in my starter. when i solve for x, i calculate that my starter has 56g of flour, and 44g of water.

adapting recipes to your starter

so you have a 100% hydration liquid starter but want to make some of my recipes? i gotchu.

there are two cases to be aware of: one in which i’d recommend adjusting the amount of starter, as well as the amount of flour, and the second in which i’d recommend maintaining the amount of starter, and adjusting the flour and water.

let’s say you’re eyeing shortbread cookies, which calls for 100 g of starter discard.

100g of liquid starter means you have 50g of flour and 50g of water.

since the cookie recipe doesn’t call for water, i would first reduce the amount of starter to match the water content of my stiff starter, and then add additional flour to compensate.

we know that 100g of stiff sourdough starter has 44g of flour. therefore, i would probably use 88g of liquid starter (44g flour and 44g of water), and then add 12g extra AP flour (44 + 12 = 56g flour) to achieve the same flour:water ratio.

an example that has water are my fluffy scallion pancakes.

50g of stiff starter means 28g flour and 22g water.
50g of liquid starter means 25g flour and 25g water.

since this recipe includes flour, water, and starter, you can maintain the amount of discard, and directly adjust the flour and water content, by adding an additional 3g of flour, and subtracting 3g of water.

et voila

that’s all folks! if you want to see more of this kind of content, let me know.

sourdough discard  chocolate chunk shortbread cookies

sourdough discard chocolate chunk shortbread cookies

confession: i have never baked a chocolate chip cookie i truly loved.

before i begin my saga, i would like to set the record straight and say i have eaten many chocolate chip cookies that i have loved. i line up dutifully each year at the minnesota state fair to get the family sized bucket of sweet martha’s, and pop them in my mouth like they’re cookie popcorn. i can eat an entire larger-than-my-fist-sized levain bakery cookie (or two) in one sitting thank you very much.

but baking them, you’d think they’d be straightforward, but man, something goes wrong every time.

i have traumatic memories of scooping out chocolate chip cookie dough in neat little rows fully expecting them to emerge as beautifully golden discs with crisp edges and soft centers, only to take out a tray of little mishapen piles that barely spread.

the problem is always this: they always turn out just ok. mediocre. some even good, but none great. definitely not the addictive little bundles i knew flour, sugar, butter, and chocolate had the potential to be.

i thought i was cursed until i made the cookie.

when i first saw alison roman’s salted butter chocolate chunk shortbread (or why would i make another chocolate chip cookie ever again) recipe, i felt skeptical.

who was this woman with all the “the’s”: “the stew”, “the pasta”, “the cookies.” it was a bold move, i thought, to claim them all for her own. assertive. aggressive, even. how could one person take ownership of all of these staple nouns?

but a curse was a curse, and i felt a glimmer of hope since she promised they weren’t meant to spread much anyway.

as i type this now, after happily eaten #thestew, munching on #thecookies for dessert, plotting when i can acquire shallots to make #thepasta, i confess i’m a convert. she has made a pretty special cookie.

this sourdough adaptation of her viral recipe is my homage to alison roman. they’re buttery like your favorite shortbread, not too sweet, studded in chocolate, and best of all, shockingly easy to make with a flavor complexity that goes way beyond the effort you need to put in.

we all need a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe in our lives. i’ve finally found mine.

*a side note: i recently found out alison roman said some things about other female entrepreneurs this past week that i personally find problematic. like cherry bombe, i feel disappointed. i hope we can take these comments to talk, learn, and grow as a community of women supporting each other.

**updated side note: alison roman issued a very public, very vulnerable apology which i find very brave. i don’t believe in cancel culture. i want to live in a world where we can hold multiple, conflicting emotions at once: one where we can simultaneously hurt, forgive, admire — and much much more.

notes

i added buckwheat because i was feeling fancy. if you want to stick with the nothing fancy vibes, you can stick to all purpose flour.

i like to use cold starter discard, straight out of the tub i keep in my fridge. another note on my starter: i have a stiff starter at 80% hydration. please adjust the amount of flour and starter in the dough to account for your starter’s hydration.

you can store the dough in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. i usually make one of the logs immediately, and then freeze the other log for whenever the need for emergency cookies strikes.

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the dough build, and do not include the levain build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
all purpose flour70%
buckwheat* flour30%
salted butter88%
granulated sugar27%
light brown sugar20%
unfed levain (discard)40%
vanilla2%
chocolate46 – 50%

*you can also sub with another fun flour like rye or spelt.

chocolate chunk cookies

sourdough discard chocolate chunk shortbread cookies

based off allison roman's internet famous cookie recipe, these addictive cookies also incorporate sourdough discard
Prep Time 10 minutes
Bake Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes

formula

dough formula
  • 220 g cold salted butter (2 sticks)
  • 50 g light brown sugar (1/4 cup packed)
  • 68 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
  • 100 g sourdough starter discard
  • 5 g vanilla extract (1 tsp)
  • 75 g buckwheat, spelt, or rye flour (½ cup)
  • 175 g all purpose flour (1½ cups)
  • 115-165 g semisweet or dark chocolate chunks (4-6 oz)
optional but strongly recommended, for outside
  • granulated sugar
  • flaky or coarse sea salt

method

make
  • cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 min with an electric mixer. beat in remaining wet ingredients until well mixed.
  • scrape sides of bowl, and add in flours. mix until just blended. then, fold in chocolate chunks.
  • split dough in half. using a plastic ziploc or caran wrap, roll each piece of dough into a log, about 2-2.5" in diameter. at this stage, dough can kept in the freezer for up to a month to be baked at a later date.
  • pop in fridge and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
bake
  • preheat oven to 350°F. take out log from fridge. if baking from freezer, i'd recommend taking it out and putting it in the fridge the night before.
  • optional: roll and press log in granulated sugar for crispy sweet edges. the dough should be cold, firm but soft enough such that the sugar sticks to the outside on its own.
  • cut logs into 1/4"ish inch circles, and place 1" apart from each other on a thick sheet pan or sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • optional: sprinkle each cookie with a bit of sea salt. flaky preferred, but coarse works in a pinch.
  • bake for 12-15 min, until edges just begin to turn golden brown. let cool for a few minutes.
  • watch everyone around you give into their willpower as the cookies disappear. enjoy!
cast iron sourdough discard pizza

cast iron sourdough discard pizza

my earliest meaningful memory of pizza is of waiting in line with my mother at papa murphy’s take and bake, bogo coupon in hand, ordering two supreme pizzas. then, there was the costco food stand. our family of 4 would pile into the car, do our shopping, walk out with the largest supreme pizza available, and eat the leftovers over the next few days.

if there’s one thing my mother believed in, it was value. getting anything short of whatever gave you the most amount of toppings was unthinkable. and thus, i was raised on a string of supreme pizzas.

then, the singular experience at 17 that redefined pizza for me: a classic margherita from punch pizza.

for one, it was a topping-less pizza. i remember it coming out, the bare cheese staring back at me, bits of tomato sauce peeking through, naked, like it forgot to put its clothes on.

second, we each got our own individual pizza, as if one entire pizza was an acceptable serving size my parents conveniently forgot to mention to me, a young susceptible mind and a very hungry almost adult.

but most importantly, it was nothing like i had tasted before. the thin base, the wood fired flavor, the satisfying chew of the crust. it was hard for me to believe that we lived in a world where the pizza i knew and loved could coexist with this new pizza i didn’t know and quickly became infatuated with.

i’ve had way more pizza memories than i’d like to admit over this past decade of pizza discovery and re-discovery. pizza seems to hold the constant of re-inventing itself for me just as i keep re-inventing myself.

my newest favorite way to eat pizza is to make a big batch of dough, invite a small group of friends over, and make a couple of pizzas together while we catch up. it’s as collaborative as it is creative, as easy as it is fast, as humble as it is impressive.

i hope these will soon become your favorite pizza memories too.

notes

i have a stiff starter that’s 80% hydration. please adjust amount of water in final dough to account for your starter’s hydration.

we might not get to gather in groups again for a while, but luckily this dough keeps well for a few days in the fridge. in fact, this dough needs a long cold proof. you’ll find it becomes easier to work with and the flavors become more complex the longer it’s been in the fridge. it bakes up quick enough to make for a reasonably achievable weekday work from home lunch.

pizza like this does its best baking at very high temps. unfortunately most home ovens don’t go as high as commercial ones. just crank it to as high as it will go, and make sure your oven is clean. i may or may not have set off my smoke detector at least 5 times over the course of 3 bakes.

this recipe makes enough dough for 3 – 12″ skillet-sized pizzas or 4 – 9″ skill-sized pizzas. scale up or down as needed. i can pretty easily eat an entire one of these.

this recipe is just for the crust. some toppings inspiration:

  • du’s: mozz, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, spinach. to prevent burnt ends, put the caramelized onions on post bake or hide beneath spinach. drizzle with honey & chili flakes right before serving.
  • margherita: tomato sauce & mozz. put basil on right before serving.
  • tie dye: ricotta & mozz, tomato sauce & pesto
  • shakshuka: tomato sauce, egg, mozz, feta. top with pepper and arugula post bake
two slices of sourdough discard pizza from the side

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
all purpose flour100%
water70%
unfed levain (discard)20%
steptime
autolyse30 – 60 min
bulk rise9 hours
folds2 folds
cold proof12 – 72 hours
bake15 – 20 min
top left corner of sourdough discard pizza in cast iron skillet

sourdough discard pizza

adapted from ken forkish's recipe, this versatile pizza dough is made from sourdough discard and baked in a cast iron skillet pan.

formula

dough formula
  • 400 g king arthur all purpose flour
  • 280 g water @ 90-95°F
  • 80 g sourdough starter discard
  • 10 g sea salt
toppings
  • anything you want on a pizza!

method

8 am: autolyse
  • in a medium to large bowl, mix all flours together. slowly add the water, mixing with a rubber spatula, making sure to incorporate the water into the flour well, stopping when all the flour is hydrated. let sit, covered, for 30-60 minutes.
  • 8:45 am: mix
  • sprinkle salt evenly over autolysed dough. incorporate gently by folding dough over a 2-3 times.
  • then, measure out discard starter (room temp or from fridge), and add to bowl. mix, alternating with pincer method and stretch and fold, until well incorporated, for about 6 minutes.
9 am: bulk fermentation
  • this dough needs a bulk rise of about 8-9 hours, until the dough is doubled and gaseous, with 2 stretch and folds in the first 2 hours spaced about 30-45 min apart.
  • after your last fold, lightly coat dough with olive oil to prevent sticking.
5:30 pm: divide & shape
  • generously sprinkle flour onto a table and your hands. gently turn your dough out onto your working surface into a somewhat even shape.
  • using a bench knife, divide dough into equal sections of about 250 g each for a 3 pizzas in a 12" skillet, or about 200 g each for 4 pizzas in a 9".
  • shape into tight dough balls using stretch and fold method. flip over onto its seam and drag ever so slightly on an unfloured surface to seal. repeat with each dough round.
5:45 pm: proof
  • place the dough balls on a lightly floured baking sheet or container, allowing for some room to expand. lightly oil the tops, then cover. i use aluminum foil (its recyclable in nyc!) for a baking sheet or just a tupperware cover.
  • leave in fridge overnight or for at least 8 hours, up to 3 days.
[next day] 6 pm: preheat
  • preheat oven to 525°F or as high as it will go. put cast iron skillet inside oven and heat for 30 min. if you have a finicky smoke detector like i do, watch out.
  • it usually takes a full 30 minutes for my ancient brooklyn oven to pre-heat so i usually just leave my skillet in for an hour.
7 pm: stretch
  • remove dough from fridge.
  • on a generously floured surface, stretch your dough. gently punch down the center, leaving a thin rim (about ½" – 1") for the crust. flip over and repeat.
  • i also like to pick up the round, letting the dough dangle vertically, and gently rotate, letting gravity help me stretch and create the final shape.
  • continue doing these two steps until you get your desired thin-ness. you want it thin, without holes. no worries if holes do appear though — you can just patch 'em.
7:10 pm: top
  • have all your pizza toppings ready to go next to your stove.
  • remove the now piping hot cast iron skillet from oven, and place on a stove burner at high heat.
  • carefully, with very floured hands, transfer your pizza crust onto the cast iron skillet. gently stretch if needed, but i find that to be very difficult at this stage.
  • working quickly, top your pizza.
  • at its simplest: spoon some tomato sauce and arrange some mozz slices. drizzle olive oil and lightly sprinkle sea salt over the top.
7:15 pm: bake
  • place skillet back into oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and crust turns golden brown. check after 12 minutes and keep an eye on it to prevent burning.
7:30 pm: enjoy
  • let cool for a minute or two before transferring to a cutting board. slice and serve immediately with your favorite italian wine (chianti classico perhaps?).
  • eat a slice with people you love even more than you love pizza.
sourdough croutons, and other ways to love old bread

sourdough croutons, and other ways to love old bread

if you’re like me and love baking bread just as much as you love eating bread, you might occasionally have the unique, and frankly excellent, problem of sometimes being in possession of perhaps, too much bread (writing this pains me because i’d like to defend that there is no such thing as too much bread, particularly sourdough bread).

over the past few years, in addition to baking slightly smaller loaves and finding more people to share my freshly baked bread with, i’ve developed a few strategies to maximize my bread consumption and to salvage aging (or failed heh) loaves — what else is a carb-loving eco-conscious nerd to do?

1. pre-slice & freeze half

i’ve found that the shelf life of homemade sourdough is around 3 days, though the crust begins to lose its characteristic crunch much sooner than that.

let this be a game changer: you can freeze your bread, and re-toast it to revive the same texture.

i like to pre-slice the portion of the loaf i plan to freeze into toastable sizes, and then store them in a freezer bag. when i’m ready to eat, i just pull out slices one by one and pop them in the toaster on a medium-high setting. when they pop out, they’re crispy on the edges and soft in the center.

you’re welcome.

2. give your bread a second life

sometimes my sourdough gets stale sooner than i’d like. in these cases i give it a second act: savory bread pudding, french toast using day-old guava cream cheese sourdough, or my current favorite — sourdough croutons. like discard focaccia, the recipe is simple while the possibilities for flavor combos are limitless.

this recipe is vaguer than my other ones. just like okonomiyaki is a way to eat a bunch of delicious sauces, i feel like croutons are simply a vehicle to get flavor profiles you want on a very crisp vehicle.

sub olive oil for melted butter for a richer flavor. add whatever flavorings you want. i like a generous amount of italian seasoning and garlic powder. sometimes a bit of parmesan cheese if i’m feeling fancy.

cut toss bake enjoy repeat. i hope this encourages you to love your day-old bread just as much as you love your fresh-out-of-the-oven crackling loaf!

sourdough croutons

Prep Time 5 minutes
Bake Time 15 minutes

formula

the basics
  • stale sourdough bread
  • salt
  • olive oil
the extras
  • italian seasoning
  • garlic powder
  • parmesan cheese

method

  • pre-heat oven to 350°F.
  • cut sourdough bread into small cubes. i like mine around 1/2".
  • drizzle olive oil evenly over the cubed bread. gently sprinkle a light, even amount of salt over cubed bread, and then top with whatever seasonings feel interesting to you.
  • you can combine the ingredients either first in a large bowl, or directly on the sheet pan. i hate doing dishes so i mix em up with my hands directly on the sheet. make sure the sheet pan is large enough as to not crowd the cubes.
  • bake for 15ish minutes, or until croutons are crisp and dry. keep an eye on them to prevent burning. eat them in soups, on top of salads, or straight up as a snack.
  • to store, wait until completely cool and keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
sourdough discard okonomiyaki

sourdough discard okonomiyaki

the wonderfully talented caroline schiff reminded me recently that that frying up sourdough discard on its own makes for a pretty damn tasty pancake. this, of course, had me dreaming of all the savory pancakes i’ve loved in my life and how to recreate them.

okonomiyaki, a japanese savory pancake made predominantly out of cabbage, is one of my favorites. it’s customizable, crisp, chewy, dangerously easy, disproportionately delicious, and very, very, pretty. i think of it as a relatively healthy conduit to eat a bunch of sauces i always want excuses to eat.

cabbage also happens to be one of the heartiest vegetables and lasts forever (at least in quarantine time), so of course i have an unreasonable amount now stocked up in my apt during this pandemic. wishing i could hop on a plane get myself to japan this spring, but this pancake will have to do.

notes

the toppings i’ve listed are mere suggestions. feel to top with whatever you have on hand, and whatever you find delicious. ketchup or kimchi works just as well as sriracha or chili crisp.

maybe cabbage and carrots aren’t your thing. that’s ok. feel free to throw in other vegetables or scallions in you have on hand that have similar texture to substitute (daikon, broccoli stems, etc.) for a non-traditional, but likely still delicious savory pancake.

other additions: for the non-vegetarians, kenji says you also fry it in some pork belly or bacon, and top with dried bonito flakes. for an eggier pancake, add an additional egg and 50 g additional veggies.

i’ve made these the size of a regular pancake or the traditionally larger size, either works. remember that the larger the pancake, the harder it will be to flip!

sourdough discard okonomiyaki

a dangerously easy, disproportionately delicious vegetarian japanese savory cabbage pancake using sourdough discard as a batter base.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

formula

for the pancake
  • 160 g cabbage, finely chopped or grated
  • 40 g carrots, finely chopped or grated
  • 100 g sourdough starter discard
  • 8 g soy sauce
  • 1 egg
  • pinch of salt
  • vegetable or canola oil (for frying)
for the toppings
  • kewpie (or another mayo)
  • hoison sauce
  • nori sesame seed mix
  • lao gan ma chili crisp
  • sriracha

method

  • in large bowl, combine sourdough discard, egg, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt. mix well with fork or whisk until it becomes a batter like consistency.
  • add in shredded vegetables. toss until vegetables are coated in batter.
  • heat up oil on a skillet on med-high heat. when oil is sizzling hot, spoon in mixture and flatten to form in the shape of a pancake.
  • cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown. flip, using a spatula or a lid, and continue cook for another 3-4 minutes, uncovered. okonomiyaki is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
  • serve immediately, while warm, on a plate with toppings of your choice. i like to drizzle mayo (preferably kewpie) and hoison sauce, and top with sesame seeds, scallions, and lao gan ma chili crisp.
sourdough discard scallion pancakes 葱油饼

sourdough discard scallion pancakes 葱油饼

growing up, my mother made dumplings from scratch at least once a month. she always purposely made extra dumpling dough, and with the remains, we’d make scallion pancakes, often without the scallions.

a thing to know about my mom: whenever my mom makes anything, she always guesstimates. “eyeballing”, she would say, is the chinese way.

unfortunately, i don’t have my mother’s eyeballs. maybe it’s that i’ve absorbed a more western (?) philosophy, finding mostly comfort and curiousity in the precision of baking. thus, most of my adult life has been a journey to furiously scribble down measurements whenever i can and whenever my mom will let me pull out my tools to take weights or temperatures or to ask more questions than necessary.

the first recipe i managed to write down correctly was one for scallion pancakes. i was 17 and in college and really craving something other than our student center’s tofu teriyaki when i emailed home for some ratios. after some trial and error and tweaking, i finally got a version that had the same texture as my mothers.

this recipe is a sourdough discard adaptation of that original recipe.

notes

i have a stiff starter that’s 80% hydration. please adjust amount of water in final dough to account for your starter’s hydration.

these are pretty traditional scallion pancakes. for a fluffy version characteristic of northern china, check out my leavened, fluffy sourdough discard scallion pancake recipe.

if you read the introductory paragraph, you’ll realize that you can use this dough formula to make dumpling wrappers as well! i’d recommend letting the dough rest for an extra hour or two before cutting and rolling out.

this recipe makes one single-serving pancake. feel free to double and triple as you please.

the shaping technique described in this recipe optimizes for distinct layers. you can also use the roll & snail technique found in my other scallion pancake recipe for a more traditional swirl aesthetic.

bonus non-gluten side salad recipe

i sometimes like to serve this with a traditional cucumber salad. the slight tang from the sourdough with the sourness of the black vinegar is a winning combo in my book. the sauce that sits at the bottom ends up being a great dipping sauce.

slice up one cucumber, mince 2-3 cloves of garlic, throw in a couple good glugs of black vinegar, a sprinkle of salt, and a spoonful of extra crunchy peanut butter (optional). shake or toss or mix until all ingredients combined. drizzle with sesame oil to top, and serve immediately.

baker’s percentage & basic timetable

the percentages for water and flour only account for the final dough build, and do not include the levain formula build.

ingredientbaker’s percentage
all purpose flour100%
water45%
unfed levain (discard)50%
steptime
autolyse1-2 hr
fry6-8 min

sourdough discard scallion pancakes 葱油饼

made with leftover sourdough discard, these scallion pancakes have the traditional crispy exterior with a thin, chewy interior. now featuring my mother's super easy technique for painless, plentiful, distinct pancake layers.
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Rest Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

formula

dough formula
  • 100 g all purpose flour
  • 45 g warm water
  • 50 g sourdough starter discard
filling
  • 12 g canola oil (more to fry in)
  • 3 g salt
  • 20-25 g scallions, chopped finely (2-3 stalks)
optional topping
  • 1 handful sesame seeds, to taste

method

  • mix discard (you can use straight from the fridge) and water together. then mix in flour completely, kneading lightly until dough forms a ball shape and until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. the dough should feel smooth and pliable, like a soft playdoh.
  • leave in bowl and keep covered for 1-2 hours.
  • to prevent sticking, oil dough very slightly. using a rolling pin, roll out dough as thin as possible (without it breaking when you pick it up), into a circular or square shape.
  • drizzle oil evenly across rolled out dough. dab each corner towards the center and wiggle slightly to ensure that oil is evenly spread across dough. then, lightly sprinkle salt evenly across flat dough. repeat with the scallions.
  • take one end of the dough, and fold down flatly on itself, about 2-3 inches. keep folding until you get a shape resembling a flattened roll.
  • then, take one end of the flattened roll and continue to fold it onto itself, about 2-3 inches at a time, until you get a final square shape. the dough should be quite folded onto itself at this point.
  • using a rolling pin, roll out thinly and firmly to form about an 8 in circle or a square. don't worry if oil or scallions start peeping out!! you'll want the pancake to be thin, without breaking when handled.
  • once flattened, sprinkle sesame seeds on one side.
  • now you're ready to fry! turn your stove to high heat. take a skillet pan and coat the bottom with oil, and wait until oil sizzles.
  • when the oil sizzles, handle pancake gently and place into the hot skillet pan. cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until both sides are golden brown.
  • when done, remove from skillet pan and let cool slightly before cutting in!