sourdough

• Move the central oven rack up a level, closer to the top heating element. Preheat oven at 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a fork or fingers to work the butter into the mixture until it becomes crumbly. Add the starter, mixing until cohesive.
• Flour a section of counter or more parchment paper. Shape the dough into an evenly thick round about 6 inches across. Use a small biscuit cutter or the top of an empty jar to cut four rounds that just touch each other. Set those rounds on baking sheet, spaced out a few inches. Reshape dough scraps to cut out more biscuits, if need be, patting the last bit of dough into a mini biscuit.
• Pour a smidgen of milk into a saucer. Brush onto the tops of the biscuits.
• Bake biscuits for 20 to 25 minutes. They won’t brown much, but the milk on top would help them gain a golden tint.
• Remove from oven. Serve warm.

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• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick spray or extra butter.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Beat in the two sugars. Add the two eggs. Add the sourdough discard. Add vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Stir into the wet mixture, scraping the bottom of the bowl on occasion.
• Measure out 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Fold them into the dough.
• Scoop dough into prepared pan and even out with an uneven spatula. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top and press in.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until top is golden and set and the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool completely, speeding process in fridge, if desired.
• Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

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• To make the soaker: Place oats in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir. Allow to cool while you start to prepare the dough.
• Using a kitchen scale and weighing everything is highly recommended.
• Combine the sourdough starter, beer, flour, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix well, by hand or with a mixer, the dough forms a cohesive mass.
• Cover and let it rest (autolyse) for about 30 minutes.
• Add the soaked oats, honey, and salt to the dough, fully incorporating. By hand or with a mixer, knead dough until it’s smooth, though it will still be tacky.
• Cover dough and let it rise for 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Fold it over itself and stretch gently several times. Return the dough to the bowl and cover.
• Let dough rise for another hour.
• Repeat the stretching and folding process one more time. Return dough to the bowl to rise for a third, final hour.
• At the end of the rise, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Place a clean cotton towel to cover the interior of a large bowl (or use a brotform). Add a heavy dusting of flour.
• Shape the dough into a tighter round by tucking dough underneath to tighten the top. Place it seam-side up in the bowl.
• Cover and let proof for 2 1/2 to 3 hours in a warm place; if your house is cool, it may need 4 hours. An oven with a proofing mode can also be used. When the dough is ready, it will look puffy and will jiggle when gently shaken.
• When the rise time is nearing end, begin preheating oven at 450 degrees with a baking stone or cast iron pan inside (obviously, if the proof mode was being used, remove the bread to continue rising in a warm spot elsewhere). To use steam during the baking process, to create a crunchy crust, place another empty pan (such as a cast iron skillet or a cake pan) beneath the baking vessel.
• Gently tip the risen loaf onto a piece of parchment. Slash the loaf several times with a sharp knife or lame–this creates vents for steam inside so the bread doesn’t grossly split–then use the parchment as a sling to CAREFULLY place the loaf on the very hot stoneware or cast iron.
• While wearing thick oven mitts, pour 1 cup water into the empty pan on the lower rack, with the bread in the pan on the level above. Close oven and keep it closed as the bread bakes.
• Bake bread for 15 minutes at 450, then reduce temperature to 400 F. Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is deeply browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove loaf from the oven and carefully transition to a cooling rack. Cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.
• Store leftover bread in a paper bag or loosely covered by plastic wrap for up to a few days. To preserve it longer, freeze and place in a freezer bags. Slicing the bread before freezing makes it easy to pull out portions to quickly defrost for later meals.

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• Add ingredients to the bread machine bucket in the order specified by the manufacturer; it is usually wet ingredients first. Set machine on Dough mode and begin. Monitor the dough as it begins mixing, adding a touch more milk if it is lumpy or flour if it is too loose. Dough should come together smoothly.
• After the cycle ends, apply nonstick spray to the loaf pan.
• Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape, folding and tucking the dough to tighten what will become the top. Place dough in pan. Set in a warm place to rise, such as on a counter, a cabinet, or in an oven on proofing mode.
• After about 45 minutes to an hour, the dough should rise about 2 inches over the rim of the pan. If it is in the warm oven, remove from there. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Bake bread about 20 minutes. Cover with shaped foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake for about another 20 minutes. Bread should sound hollow when tapped, and if tested with a digital thermometer, over 190 degrees inside.
• Immediately tip loaf from pan, carefully setting upright on a cooling rack. Brush on the softened butter.
• Let cool for at least an hour before slicing. Bread will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, and can also be frozen for several months either whole or in slices.

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• Add ingredients to the bread machine bucket in the order specified by the manufacturer; it is usually wet ingredients first. Set machine on Dough mode and begin. Monitor the dough as it begins mixing, adding a touch more milk if it is lumpy or flour if it is too loose. Dough should come together smoothly.
• After the cycle ends, prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough by 8.
• Shape each piece, folding and tucking the dough while elongating it, creating a tightened top. Place each bun slightly spaced out on pan; baker’s choice as to if they touch or not after rising. After all of the buns are shaped, place in a warm place to rise, such as on a counter, a cabinet, or in an oven on proofing mode.
• After about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, the buns should look rounded and puffy. If pan is in the oven, remove from there. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Bake bread about 21 to 25 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Bread should sound hollow when tapped, and if tested with a digital thermometer, over 190 degrees inside.
• Cool on pan or rack for at least an hour before eating. Slice bun from the side or top to insert the bratwurst and other toppings.
• Buns will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, and can also be frozen for several months.

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• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla and sourdough discard.
• In another bowl, stir together rolled oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts to distribute.
• Use a cookie scoop or spoon to dole out the dough, spaced out, on the parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; the cookies should be golden at the edges and no longer glossy on top.
• Transfer cookies to a rack to fully cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Cookies keep for at least 3 days.

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• Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Cut parchment to fit inside the loaf pan like a sling, sticking up at the two long sides. Use nonstick spray in the pan and on the parchment paper.
• Beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add egg. Add sourdough discard, buttermilk or soured milk, and vanilla, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.
• In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, scraping the bottom again. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for somewhere between 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes. After the hour point, use the toothpick test every so often to check for doneness; a digital thermometer is also a good way to check inside, with a goal of seeing over 190-degrees in the middle.
• After about 15 minutes, use the paper sling to lift the loaf out. Let cool completely on a wire rack, speeding in the fridge if desired.
• Make the glaze. Spoon it over the loaf pan to dribble over the sides. Let set at least 30 minutes. Slice and enjoy! Store in a sealed bag or container. Cake can also be frozen in slices for later enjoyment.

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