In January of 2021, we published a beginner’s guide to sourdough with recipes. We’re back with some fun recipes that go beyond the basics and reveal just how versatile sourdough can be!

STILL HAVEN’T MADE A SOURDOUGH STARTER?
No problem! Just go to www.royconnection.com and click on past issues and you can find our sourdough article and how to make a starter.

Chocolate Sourdough Bread

BY HAILEY MINTON

Levain
1/4 cup, plus 1 Tbsp. bread flour
1/4 cup, plus 1 Tbsp. spelt flour
1/3 cup water
A heaping 1/8 cup of sourdough starter

Dough
5 1/4 cups bread flour
1 cup and 3 Tbsp. spelt flour
2 1/8 cups and 1 Tbsp. water, plus 1/4 cup set aside
1 Tbsp. salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp., plus 1 tsp. of honey
3/4 cup cocoa powder

Add-ins
The levain mixture
1/2 cup chocolate chips

First make your levain by mixing all the ingredients in a glass container. Monitor the growth. It is ready to use once it has doubled. After you make the levain, in a separate bowl, mix the bread flour, spelt flour, and cocoa powder to start the autolyse process. Add 2 1/8 cups plus 1 tablespoon of water to the mixture. Blend everything with the goal to get all the flour hydrated but don’t worry too much if there are a few spots you just can’t get to mix in. The dough is really stiff, so it can be tough. Cover with a wet dish cloth for an hour or until needed. Once the levain has doubled, mix in the remaining 1/4 cup of water to it. Then, add in the salt, honey, and brown sugar and mix together. Next, add this mixture to the dough. Be prepared to work to get it fully incorporated! Everything should be fully hydrated at this point. Cover and leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes before adding the chocolate chips to the center. Now, you will do a set of stretch and folds to incorporate them. Pull up the dough on one side to stretch it, fold it over the chocolate chips, then push it down. Do this four times, once on each side.

This next step is considered the bulk fermentation period and has a lot to do with how active your starter is. The recipe I followed said to do 3 sets of stretch and folds 30 minutes apart, but I waited a lot longer between mine because I didn’t think my starter was as active as his. For him, it took 2 1/2 hours, for me, it was double that. After that period, cut the dough in half to make two loaves and stretch and fold them again to get the bottom really tight. Line a large bowl with parchment paper and plop the dough in, bottom on top, so the top of the ball is smooth and tight. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 500°F with your Dutch oven inside. Take your bread out of the fridge and out of the bowl with the parchment paper and score it. Making an x on the top with a knife is an easy option. Once your oven is preheated, place your dough and parchment paper inside the oven and replace the lid. Turn down your oven to 450 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid after the first 20 minutes and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely before cutting. Repeat the process for the second loaf.

Adapted recipe from Food Geek

Sourdough Banana Streusel Muffins

BY KRISTINA CASE

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sourdough starter (recently fed and bubbly)
1 1⁄2 cups ripe bananas, mashed (2-3 bananas)
1⁄4 cup melted butter
1⁄4 cup melted coconut oil
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Streusel topping:
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup white sugar
1⁄4 cup flour, plus 1Tbsp.
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tin with liners or spray with non-stick baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

In a medium to large bowl, whisk eggs until mixed. Add in sourdough starter, bananas, butter, coconut oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. Add wet mixture to the flour mixture and fold, scraping bottom and sides using a rubber spatula, until just mixed. Do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly between muffin tins and top with some of the streusel. Place into the oven and bake for 17-19 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Adapted from ourzestylife.com

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

BY JENNY GOLDSBERRY

First, you’re going to need a sweet, stiff sourdough starter. Adding just a little bit of sugar will keep your start from getting too sour or tangy.

Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter
Stir
1⁄4 cup of your unfed starter
1⁄2 cup water

Add
1⁄4 cup of sugar
1 cup of flour

Continue to feed it by using the above ratio of flour to sugar and water.

Cookies
Cream Together
14 Tbsp. of Butter
1⁄2 cup of brown Sugar
1⁄2 cup of white Sugar

Add
1 egg
1 tsp. of vanilla
3/4 cup of unfed starter
Cream together

Sift Together
2 cups of flour
1 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of baking soda
Add it to your dough

Add
2 cups of chocolate chips
Mix gently

Cover your bowl and put it in the fridge overnight.

Scoop balls of dough and place them on an ungreased pan.

Cook at 375°F for 6-8 minutes.