Baking is an experience that never identically repeats itself. Don’t get frustrated if what comes out of the oven isn’t what was expected. Every time, learn and make adjustments. Perhaps a new, unrecorded discovery will be made! After the first experience of making one recipe, make it again and try to feel through parts of it. Make it a self-led experience, less of the words of others. I often adjust the sweetness level of recipes and add levain (sourdough) to pastries to give it an extra element.
Recipes posted here have become staples in my home kitchen. Enjoy the process.
PIE DOUGH, makes 4 crusts
320g whole wheat flour (such as sonora, einkorn, emmer)*
320g T65, all-purpose, or sifted flour
10g salt
10g coconut sugar
454g unsalted butter, cold, small cubes
227g ice water*
In a bowl, mix dry ingredients. Mix in butter until coarse pea-like texture. Add ice water and mix until dough holds its form. The whole wheat flour will determine if more water is needed. The dough shouldn’t be crumbly, but be able to form a round circle when dividing. Divide into 4 round disks at 335g each. Chill for 2-3 hours, preferably overnight before rolling out.
*If wanting to add a bit of spent sour, start with 100g leftover sourdough, reduce flour by 50 grams and reduce water by 50 grams. This is also a great way to adjust any staple recipe you might already have.
500g strong, sifted flour (bread flour)
100g high extraction flour (whole wheat)
150g sourdough starter
750g filtered water
25g salt
40g extra virgin olive oil
Autolyse for 30 minutes.
Add salt and remaining water. Incorporate well. Can add more water here if necessary. Let dough rest 30 minutes before folding.
To bake: Preheat oven to 260C/500F. Prep toppings like tomatoes, onions, rosemary, and black pepper. The dough is ready when it slowly springs back when pressed. Make dimples by pressing the dough with your fingers, drizzle with olive oil, place toppings on the dough. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place in oven and lower to 230C/450F and bake for 20-30 minutes if baking at full size. Best results for the bottom crust if baking on a preheated stone. If baking smaller sizes, start timer at 15 minutes and watch for color.
SOURDOUGH WAFFLES
Overnight sponge:
120g levain, unfed
60g all-purpose flour
120g whole wheat flour
224g buttermilk (or kefir)
60g cold water
6g unrefined sugar
Batter:
Sponge from above
7g unrefined sugar
1 large egg (50g)
56g olive oil, coconut oil, clarified butter
2g vanilla
3g sea salt
6g baking soda
Mix sponge overnight. In the morning, mix batter. Rest 15 minutes as the waffle iron is heating.
Spray waffle griddle with oil. Make waffles, careful to not overfill iron.
SOURDOUGH PIZZA DOUGH
30% whole wheat flour
70% all-purpose flour, 00, or high extraction flour
20% levain
+/-75% hydration
4% olive oil
2% fine sea salt
Mix flours, levain, water, and olive oil. Let dough rest for 20-30 minutes, otherwise known as autolyse. Add salt and a small amount of water and mix until salt feels evenly distributed. Dough may feel unorganized, but will gain structure with folds and tighten as it acidifies.
Fold dough every 30 minutes for a total of 4 folds. Give up to 6 folds, depending on how dough feels/dependent on gluten-forming proteins in the flour, etc.
If happy with strength of dough, divide dough after 4 hours of bulk fermentation. This dough has a good buffer as I’ve had to take breaks and run errands and postponed folds or even dividing hours after the last dough fold. An easy-to-work-with size for pizzas in a home oven is 340g per ball.
Preheat oven with pizza stone to 550F (or the hottest the oven will go). Bake with no convection/fan until desired color and crispiness, 8-11 minutes.
If using a pizza oven, a pizza at 750F takes 1-2 minutes. This is my preference of pizza baking temperature as I feel like I have the most control over the crust holding up to non-perforated serving plates.
PUMPKIN BRIOCHE
600g strong wheat flour
90g fine sugar
14g sea salt
5g dry yeast
3g turmeric powder
200g pumpkin puree
140g levain
100g eggs
60g whole milk
200g unsalted butter, soft
Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, tumeric, pumpkin puree, levain, eggs, and milk. Knead dough until good gluten structure forms (anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on mixer). Sometimes, with a heavily enriched dough (lots of sugar and butter), giving the dough a couple 5-minute breaks can improve structure with less mixing. Once the dough develops, add soft butter in stages until fully absorbed into dough. Bulk ferment for 1 hour before placing in fridge to stiffen for easier handling of dough. Divide and shape. If baking into rolls, egg wash surfaces. Bake somewhere between 350F-400F.