Chocolate-It's What's for Dinner

I'm always on the prowl for new uses for sourdough for Bertha (she can be so demanding). I had some tomato sauce left and mozzarella so I though this would be a good use. Sourdough Pizza (Adapted from King Arthur Flour ) Makes 2 thin crusts 1 c sourdough starter (unfed, straight from the refrigerator) 1/2 c warm water 1/2 t yeast pinch of sugar 2 - 21/2 c flour 1 t salt 2t dried basil 1t oregano olive oil for cooking Toppings as desired Spoon 1 cup of starter into a bowl. Add yeast and sugar to the warm water and let sit for 10-15 minutes until bubbly. Add to sourdough starter. Add 1 c of flour, salt, and herbs. Use dough hook to incorporate flour, gradually adding enough flour to leave the dough sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise 2-4 hours (depending on room temperature). Divide dough in half. Let dough sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile oil two 15" round pizza pans (use a smaller one for thicker crust).  Press the dough into the pan. Cove...

I'm always on the prowl for sourdough whatever, since Bertha is always hanging around looking for something to do.  I found this in my "to try" recipe file. At the bottom of the recipe it says The Culinary Products Group South San Francisco CA - who knows where I got it from. A quick search on the webbie-web and nothing.  Maybe it was from a previous sourdough starter? The recipe uses "proofed" sourdough batter, which I thought was an interesting take on things. While this is not the recipe that I was looking for, it is a keeper. Quick Sourdough Biscuits 2 c proofed sourdough batter (see below) 2 3/4 c flour 1 T baking powder 1 t sugar 1/2 t baking soda 1/2 t salt 1/4 c butter (1/2 stick) 1/3 c milk 2 T melted butter To proof sourdough starter: The night before take 1 cup of sourdough batter and add 1/2 c water. Stir in 1 c flour. Set aside for 8-12 hours. Feed the starter as usual. Your proofed sourdough should be nice and puffy now. Combin...

I haven't really been doing anything with Bertha lately - other than feeding her - so I thought it was time to take her for another spin. I was thinking of bread but then this recipe for rolls caught my eye. Sourdough Rolls (Adapted from Breads Step-by-Step Techniques ) 2 pkgs (4 1/4 t) yeast 1/2 c warm water 4 c  (approx) flour 1/4 c sugar 1 t salt 8 T butter, melted and cooled (plus 2 T for top) 1 egg 1 c sourdough starter, at room temperature 1/2 c warm milk Remember when working with yeast the first thing you want to do is proof it and make sure it is alive and that you didn't kill it with too hot water or milk. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add about 1t of the sugar. Set aside to bubble up. In a heavy-duty mixer (AKA Kitchen-Aid) mix 2 c of flour, sugar, and salt.  Add in yeast mixture and the 8T of melted butter, egg, starter, and milk. Beat for about 5 minutes with dough hook.  Gradually add remaining flour (you might not use all of i...

I was thinking about pretzels and then came across this recipe for sourdough soft pretzels at King Arthur Flour. It was less finicky than the other recipe that I have, which you have to boil the pretzels in water with baking soda before baking, similar to bagels.  So I thought since Bertha needed a feed,  I'd give this one a whirl. It also only requires one rise. As usual, I changed it up a bit. Sourdough Pretzels (adapted from King Arthur Flour) 3/4 c warm water 1 T sugar 1 c unfed sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator 1/4 non-fat dry milk or dried buttermilk 3 c bread flour 1 T canola oil 1 1/2 t salt Topping 1 T sugar 2 T water kosher salt cinnamon sugar herbes de Provence Dissolve sugar in warm water.  Add yeast and set aside until bubbly.  Meanwhile mix sourdough starter, dried milk (or dried buttermilk), oil, and salt together. When yeast is ready pour into sourdough mixture.  Gradually add flour mixing. Dough will remain s...

Meet Bertha. She is a little over a year old now. This is where she lives:  This is what she looks like when she's way too hungry: She shouldn't look like this.  When she separates out, that is a sign she is starving. I had let this go a day or two over the two week mark.  After a quick stir and she's back to normal:  This is what she looks like soon after she's fed: She pretty much puffs up to double This is what she looks like when she's ready to go back in the refrigerator for two weeks before her next feed: She sort of falls Bertha has a nice flavor that has developed over the year. At first she wasn't that sour. I had a previous sourdough starter that was several years old and had a really sour taste. Unfortunately, I neglected it and it died. I recently read that you can dry out some of the starter. After it is dry you smash it up into a powder.  You can now save it to revive it at a future date.  I actually killed two st...