Saturday, January 10, 2026

Discard sourdough bread



This recipe is from King Arthur, its video is on YouTube.


Ingredients

  • 600g white bread flour*
  • 400g whole wheat bread flour**
  • 3 1/2 cups (800g) water
  • 1 tablespoon (20g) table salt
  • 3 tablespoons (40g) unfed/discard sourdough starter
*Original recipe suggests 900g white bread flour
**Original recipe suggests 100g whole wheat bread flour

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

  2. 2. Mix the ingredients until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl or bucket and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

  3. 3. Fold the dough by grabbing a section from one side with a wet hand, lifting it up, then pressing it down to the middle to seal. Repeat this with the remaining three sides of the dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.

  4. 4. Fold the dough 2 more times, giving it a 15-minute rest between the two, for a total of 3 sets of folds in 45 minutes. As you perform the folds you’ll notice that the dough smooths out, gaining strength and becoming elastic.

  5. 5. Cover the dough tightly after the final fold and leave it at room temperature (approximately 22°C/72°F) for about 12 hours. It's helpful to mark the height of the dough (use the markings on the bucket or a large rubber band around your bowl) to gauge how much it rises.

  6. 6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured and divide it into 2 roughly equal pieces. Gently form the pieces into rounds, cover them, and let them rest seam-side down for 10 minutes.

  7. 7. Generously dust 2 lined brotforms (bread basket) or towel-lined large bowls with whole wheat flour.

  8. 8. Shape the loaves into tight rounds (boules), place them seam-side up into the prepared brotforms or bowls, and cover them with a shower cap.

  9. If your dough doubled (or came close to doubling) during the 12-hour rise period, immediately place the boules into the refrigerator. But if your dough was a bit more sluggish, let the boules rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes to give them a head start on the second rise.  

  10. 9. Let the boules rest in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.

  11. 10. Preheat the oven to 250°C/500°F. 

  12. Turn each loaf out onto a piece of parchment paper and slash them with a lame or sharp knife.

  13. 11. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 230°C/450°F and bake the loaves for 40-45 minutes, until they're a deep golden brown.

  14. 12. Remove the loaves from the oven and place them onto racks to cool completely. If you're baking one loaf at a time repeat the process with the 2nd loaf. 

  15. 13. Store leftover bread, loosely wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Enjoy!

Discard sourdough crackers


This is the recipe from Farmhouse on Boone.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup sourdough discard, active starter will also work
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil*
  • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • *Oringinal recipe uses 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions 

  • 1. Preheat your oven to 175°c (350°f). Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper to prevent the crackers from sticking.
  • 2. In a medium bowl, combine sourdough discard, olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese, salt, and seasonings. Pour into a thin layer on the parchment-lined sheet pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. The thinner the batter is, the crunchier the crackers will be.
  • 3. Bake for 20 minutes**, then remove from the oven and pre-cut into squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
  • 4. Continue baking for 12-15 minutes more until the crackers are golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before snapping apart. 

**Original recipe: 15 mins

Enjoy!


Discard sourdough buttermilk biscuits

This is the recipe from Farmhouse on Boone. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 113g/ 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into chunks
  • 1 cup sourdough discard
  • 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk*/ water

*Buttermilk = mix 1/2 tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 cup milk and wait for 5-10 mins


Instructions 

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 205°c (400°f). Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl and combine.
  • 2. Chop the cold butter into chunks and add it to the flour mixture. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender.
  • 3. Add sourdough discard and buttermilk, stirring until the ingredients are incorporated.
  • 4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, rolling it out to about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Cut out the biscuits using a biscuit cutter or even the rim of a glass.
  • 5. Place the cut biscuits onto a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • 6. Bake for 14 to 20 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown.

Enjoy!

Monday, September 15, 2025

Fermented vegetables (pickle)


Ingredients

Vegetables e.g. cucumber, broccoli, carrots

2 tbsp sea salt

2 cups water

Herbs and spices, e.g. Bay leaves, pepper corns, dill...


Instructions

1. Cut the vegetables into small pieces

2. Place them in an air-tight jar

3. Add sea salt to the jar

4. Add herbs and spices, or skip this step if you do not want to add any

5. Fill the jar with water

6. Let it ferment in a cooler place without direct sunlight until day 4

7. Open the lid to release air every day. You will see bubbles on day 2 or 3

8. You can consume the vegetables from day 4 onward (normally, it tastes sour on day 4; if not, let it ferment for another day)

I wait until day 5, and the fermented vegetables are sour enough

9. Place the jar in the fridge

You can keep it for a month in the fridge, but consume asap :)


Enjoy!

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Discard Sourdough chocolate brownies


Ingredients 

113g butter

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

3/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cacao powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup sourdough discard


Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat up water

In a small bowl, put butter. Place this bowl on the saucepan. Let it melt (this is called “Bain-marie”)

2. Add chocolate chips in the bowl. Let it melt

When they are melted, turn off the heat

3. Add vanilla extract in the bowl

4. Preheat the oven to 175c

5. In another medium or large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cacao powder, salt

6. Add butter chocolate mixture and mix well

7. Add eggs and sourdough discard, mix well until no clumps

8. Put a baking sheet on a 9” X 9” pan

Pour the mixture into the pan

9. Bake it for 40mins until the a tooth pick comes out clean


Enjoy!

Sourdough Focaccia

Ingredients

320g water

7g salt

56g Sourdough starter

12g olive oil

400g bread flour


Steps

Day 1

20:00 In a glass storage box, mix water and salt until dissolved

Add in sourdough, olive oil and flour. Mix well until no clumps

Close the box with the lid. Let it rest for 30 mins

20:30 A set of stretch and fold the dough or until you can feel the dough becomes tight

Cover it with the lid. Let it rest for 30 mins

21:00 Do 1 set of coil fold

Cover it. Let it rest for 30 mins

21:30 Do the 2nd set of coil fold

Cover it. Place the box in the fridge overnight

Day 2

9:00 Place the dough in a square or rectangular baking tray

Cover it with a towel 

Let it proof until the size is doubled (it may take 2 hours in a warmer place and 3 hours in a cooler place)

11:00 or 12:00 Preheat the oven to 230c

Sprinkle olive oil on the dough surface

Add your favorite ingredients, e.g. garlic cloves, cherry tomatoes, olives, smoked ham cubes, grated cheeses

Bake for 30 mins or until golden brown


Enjoy! 

Fresh mint chocolate chips ice-cream



Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 cup cream (I used 35% cream)
27g fresh mint leaves

3/4 cup brown sugar*
Pinch of salt
2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract 

Optional: chocolate chips

* I use 1/2 cup brown sugar

Steps
1a. Use your hand to squeeze and smash mint leaves. It can release more flavour when it is mixed with other liquid ingredients.
Place the leaves in a linen bag. If you don't, you can skip this step

1b. Combine milk, cream and mint leaves in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge (about 80°c). Do not let it boil!

2. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for ten minutes. That gives the mint flavour time to steep.

3. If you have a linen bag: Simply squeeze out the milk mixture
If you don't have a linen bag: Uncover it and pour the mixture through a colander into a medium bowl. Press the mint leaves slightly with a big spoon to get all the flavour. Discard the leaves, and pour the liquid back into your pan.

4. In a new bowl, combine sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is pale.

5. Gradually add half of the milk mixture to the egg mixture, while stirring constantly with a whisk.

6. Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pan with the rest of the milk.

7. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes (or to 60°c), stirring constantly.

8. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Place the bowl in the fridge until the mixture cools completely, stirring occasionally.

9. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Add chocolate chips halfway through the process 

If you’d like the ice cream to harden up a little more, freeze it for a couple of hours.



Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Sourdough baguette

Ingredients

8g salt

300g Water

420g bread flour

55g sourdough


Steps

Day 1

20:00 Mix ingredients. 

Let it rest for 30 mins.

20:30 Perform stretch and fold, do that until the dough becomes tense.

21:00 1st set of coil fold.

 Let it rest for 30 mins.

21:30 2nd set of coil fold.

Place the dough in the fridge overnight.

Day 2 

8:00 Place the dough on the worktop.

Divide the dough into 4 portions.

Fold 1 edge of the dough (lengthwise) towards the center.

Fold another edge over.

Place the dough with the seam facing downward.

Let it rest for 15 mins.

8:15 Shape the dough.

Sprinkle rice flour heavily on a thick proofing towel. 

Sprinkle flour on the dough surface and the worktop, and then place it on the worktop 

Stretch a bit the 2 edges (lengthwise) and fold them towards the center and press it gently.

Fold again these 2 edges (lengthwise) and close it.

Roll it to the length according to the width of your baking tray.

Place the dough on the towel, with the seams facing upward.

Cover the dough with a towel.

Let it rise until 1.5 times. It is 3 hours for my dough. The time needs to be adjusted according to the room temperature and the activity of the sourdough

11:20 Preheat the oven to 230c.

Place a tray of hot water in the oven.

11:30 Place the dough on the baking tray gently, lined with a baking sheet.

Score each dough twice vertically / lengthwise

Bake the dough for 30-35 mins.


Enjoy!

Friday, August 29, 2025

Ginger bug soda - basic



Ingredients

1/4 cup ginger bug starter

3 1/2 - 3 3/4 cups water, fruit juice*, or brewed tea*

3-6 tbsp/ 87g white sugar

Spice, fruit, or other flavor additions

** You can use brewed tea such as hibiscus tea


Steps

1. In an Italian glass water bottle, with the help of a funnel, pour the ginger bug starter and water

2. Add sugar and stir well until the sugar is dissolved

3. Close the lid/stopper and let it ferment for 1-2 days or until you can see bubbles


Enjoy!


Friday, August 22, 2025

Country Sourdough

 


Ingredients

291g water

9g salt

364g strong white bread flour

45g wholewheat flour

91 levain*

Levain: 100% hydrated

Some rice flour


Steps

Note: the timing of the following steps should be adjusted according to the temperature of your kitchen and the fermentation progress of your dough

Day 1 - 

20:00 Prepare levain


Day 2 - 

8:00 Mix water and salt. 

Add flour and levain. 

Mix all the ingredients first with a spoon and then use your hand. It is a brief mix. 

Place it in a mixing bowl. 

Cover it and let it rest

8:30 Bench mix: Place the dough on the worktop. 

Use your hand to work the dough into a smooth dough. 

Place it back in the mixing bowl. 

Cover it and let it rest

9:00 1st lamination. Place the dough on the worktop. 

Stretch it as much as possible to a rectangular shape. 

Fold the left and right sides toward the centre. Fold the top to the centre and fold it to the bottom. 

With the help of the scraper, return the dough to the mixing bowl. 

Cover it and let it rest

10:00 2nd lamination. Repeat the above step

13:00 Shape the dough. The dough should increase its volume. 

Sprinkle the flour on the top of the dough, and turn it upside down on the worktop. 

Fold the 2 sides of the dough towards the centre

Fold the bottom edge of the dough and close it

Fold the top of the dough downward while maintaining the tension on the surface 

Roll it until the end and press the dough together

Place the dough's seam upward, pinch the seam and close it. Don't forget to close the sides too! 

Flip the dough over in rice flour

Place it in the proofing basket with the seam side facing up

Put it in a plastic bag and leave it proof at the room temperature

15:00 Put the dough in the Fridge for final proofing


Day 3 -

If you use a Dutch oven to bake the bread*:

7:00 Place the Dutch oven in the oven

Preheat the oven to 220°c for an hour

Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature

*If you do NOT use a Dutch oven to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 220°c a few mins before 9:00

7:57 Prepare a baking paper and place it on the worktop

Place the dough (with seam facing downward) on the baking paper

Use a bread blade to cut the dough

8:00 Place the dough in the Dutch oven and cover the lid, bake for 20 mins

8:20 Remove the lid of the Dutch oven, bake for another 25 mins


Enjoy!

 

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Ginger bug raspberry lemon soda


Ingredients

30g ginger bug starter

400ml water*

juice of 1 lemon

30g white sugar

15 frozen raspberries

*Some recommend filtered water or boiled water. I use tap water. It depends on the chlorine level in your tap water


Steps

1. In an Italian glass water bottle (seal), with the help of a funnel, pour the ginger bug starter, water, and lemon juice

2. Add sugar and stir it well until the sugar is dissolved

3. Add raspberries

4. Close the stopper/lid and let it ferment for 2-3 days until you see bubbles.

Open the stopper/ lid to release air every 24 hours


Enjoy!


Healthy ice cream without cream


Ingredients

360g/ 4 medium frozen bananas

2 tbsp almond milk or cow milk

1 cup/ 140g frozen berries

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp/ 15ml maple syrup or honey


Steps

1. Before making the ice cream: 

Chop bananas into small pieces, put them in a zip-lock bag and place them in the freezer overnight or until they are completely frozen

When the bananas are frozen, we can prepare the ice cream

2. In a blender, put frozen bananas and milk, and blend well

3. Then add frozen berries, vanilla extract and honey, and blend them until you see a smooth and creamy texture

You can either eat them immediately or put them into small boxes


To store the ice cream for later consumption:

1. Put the ice cream into small separate boxes, according to the portion you want to consume the next time

2. When you want to consume it, take out a box and place it either at room temperature for 20 mins or place it in the fridge for a few hours to let it soften slowly


Enjoy!

Discard Sourdough oatmeal snacks


Ingredients

90g instant oatmeal

1/4 tsp salt

80g discarded sourdough starter

35g honey

15g butter

2 tbsp chia seeds

80g nuts

80g dried fruit

30-50g chocolate chips


Steps

1. Mix oatmeal, salt, sourdough honey and butter

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients

3. Preheat the oven to 160°c and bake for 35 mins


Enjoy!