I have made a lot of sourdough crackers lately. Since I first tried to make crackers from my discarded sourdough starter I have been hooked.
But this weekend it was time for a change. There have to be more things you can do with the discard I said to myself, and there is.
Most of you know that you can use the discard for pancakes, waffles, muffins, and much more.
But perhaps not so many of you have tried to make puff pastry, and I think I know why.
Making real puff pastry is a bit tedious and requires time, and not all of us wants to spend that much time on some discarded starter.
But perhaps it’s possible to make a quick version. At least that was what I tried to find out.
There are lots of recipes for puff pastry, most of them with just flour, butter, and water on the internet. I found some based on a sourdough starter as well, but most of them were aiming for croissants, danish pastry and such.
That was not what I was looking for. It was far too complicated and time-consuming.
I just want to do something with my discarded starter, so I don’t have to waste it. I wanted a simplified version of a sourdough puff pastry recipe.
Finally, I found a recipe that I liked. There was no sourdough starter in it, but I liked the method.
I know that there are not many of you who read my blog that understands Swedish, but some of you do, so here is the link.
Normally when you make puff pastry, you roll the butter into the dough in layers. You do that by folding the dough and roll it several times.
For this puff pastry recipe, you mix half of the butter with the flour and starter. The dough is rolled out into a square. Then you distribute the rest of the butter on one half of the square. I used my cheese grater to cut the butter into thin slices. Fold over the other part of the dough and roll it to an even thickness.
Fold the dough into three parts in one direction and one partin the other direction. You should now have six layers.
Wrap the dough in cling film and let it cool in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. After that, you can roll the dough into a desired form or thickness.
This sourdough puff pastry recipe is a bit rough, and nothing I recommend if you’re planning to make anything more ambitious.
But if you only want to make some quick and easy dessert for yourself and your friends a lazy Sunday afternoon, it may work just fine. It lifts quite a lot after 15 minutes in the oven as you can see in the picture above, but not as much as if you had done it according to a traditional recipe.
After all, it is a simplified variant of puff pastry. The taste, however, isnot simplified at all. Butter tastes good, that’s no news, but combined with all the unique flavors of the sourdough starter makes it even better.
So, if you use towaste you’rediscarded starter, stop doing that immediately. It’s liquid gold.
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A quick puff pastry recipe based on a discarded sourdough starter. The sourdough starter lifts it to another level with its unique flavors.
Ingredients
- 80 gram Wheat flour
- 100 gram sourdough starter discarded, 100% hydration
- 120 gram butter
Instructions
Note that it's important that all ingredients are cold. Start by mixing the flour, sourdough starter and half of the butter into a dough. Let it rest in the fridge 30 min.
Roll out the dough to a square with an even thickness. Distribute the rest of the butter on one half of the square. Use a cheese grater to cut the butter into thin slices
Fold over the other part of the dough and roll it to an even thickness.Fold the dough into three parts in one direction and one part in the other direction. You should now have six layers.
Wrap the dough in cling film and let it cool in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. After that, you can roll the dough into a desired form or thickness.
Notes
You can freeze the rolled out puff pastry dough for later use. It should be used within 6 months.
Keyword sourdough bread, starter
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
FAQs
The main benefit of adding fat like organic olive oil or butter to our bread recipe, is that it will create a super soft and luscious texture with a thin crackly crust. It's almost like a cross between a flakey butter croissant and an artisan bread.
Can I mix sourdough with instant yeast? ›
Proper fermentation of bread dough requires robust yeast activity, especially if you want good oven spring and an open crumb. Adding small amounts of instant yeast to a sourdough is an easy and effective way to get there, and a practice any baker might want to add to their bread baking toolkit.
What is the secret to sourdough bread? ›
The secret to sourdough is simple: water. The more water you add to your dough will affect how open the crumb (bigger holes and softer texture) will be once it's baked.
Why do you spray sourdough with water before baking? ›
Spraying water when putting the the dough in the oven helps keep the crust soft to allow maximum oven spring. Without the steam, the crust will harden, which results not as good of a rise. However if the steam is left in the oven your bread will not color well. - in Saint Francis, WI.
Does olive oil stop dough from rising? ›
The oil will not absorb into the flour or the gluten that forms as a result of the fermentation process. All that oil does is give your dough a coating of elasticity. Aside from providing a barrier for your dough throughout the proofing phase, this will not prevent your dough from rising.
Why is sourdough bread good for you? ›
Sourdough bread may be easier to digest than white bread for some people. According to some studies, sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, which means that the fiber in the bread helps feed the “good” bacteria in your intestines. These bacteria are important for maintaining a stable, healthy digestive system.
Why is sourdough better than instant yeast? ›
Sourdough bread has many health benefits that occur because during the long rise time the yeast can break down some of the carbohydrates and proteins increasing your body's ability to absorb the vitamins and minerals from the bread.
Do I need to let bread dough rise if I use instant yeast? ›
Some recipes call for a “double rise” or letting the dough rise in two different phases. With instant yeast, you typically will only need to let it rise once. Instant Yeast will raise a loaf in a hurry and may yield a more light and airy bread.
Why not use a metal spoon with sourdough? ›
And it can dissolve some metals. However, what happens when sourdough and metals contact each other depend on the metal and the length of exposure. If the metal is a stainless steel, there will be no problems. I routinely start, maintain and feed my starters in stainless steel bowls.
Why do you put vinegar in sourdough bread? ›
There are two main acids produced in a sourdough culture: lactic acid and acetic acid. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is the acid that gives sourdough much of its tang. Giving acetic acid-producing organisms optimal conditions to thrive and multiply will produce a more tangy finished product.
Honey: Honey adds a sweetness to this dough and helps balance any sour flavor that comes through from the fermentation process. If you are looking for whole wheat bread without the honey, try this recipe. Salt: Salt enhances the flavor and helps tempers the fermentation.
Why do you put olive oil in dough? ›
Improve the texture and boost the flavor of any homemade pizza by adding quality olive oil to the dough. Adding oil to your pizza dough makes it crispier once baked. The oil creates an impermeable layer that moisture, such as that present in tomato sauce, cannot easily penetrate.
What is the best oil to use for sourdough bread? ›
Olive oil is recommended by many health experts because of its properties.
Does olive oil change the taste of bread? ›
Indeed, the olive oil is responsible for much of the flavor in the focaccia bread, and this bread proves why olive oil is the perfect choice for more savory baking recipes. For best results, chill it in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours after the first rise.
What makes sourdough bread better? ›
Because of the organic acids produced by the Lactobacillus bacteria, sourdough has a lower pH than standard bread. This not only gives it a desirable “sour” flavor and longer shelf-life, but also makes the bread kinder to your gut (Marti, et al., 2015; Siepmann, et al., 2018).
