rustic sourdough bagels

When you wake up in the morning with a hankering for breakfast, what could be better than a Rustic Sourdough Bagel?! We’re going basic today, because truly there’s nothing more I’m craving right now that a cream cheese bagel and if this recipe is for anything, it’s to satisfy that craving. These bagels are soft and chewy and the sourdough flavour really complements a generous helping of cream cheese (dairy free, of course). Grab yourself a coffee and let’s get baking!

For this recipe, you’ll want to activate your starter with a mini punch of rye flour before giving it a good feeding with solely white flour. I don’t know about you but wholemeal bagels are not a vibe. I want that light, airy, fluffy texture that a nice plain/all purpose flour provides. I’m feeding my starter with 2 tbsp of rye flour just to wake her up from a long vacation in the fridge, then I’m feeding her with 2/3 cup of plain white spelt flour. I often use spelt flours in my baking because they’re an ancient grain – would you be interested in learning about why ancient grains are important? Let me know!

I’m also not going to add too much water to my starter for this recipe – let’s keep her nice and thick like waffle batter (or even a tad thicker). Once she’s fed, I leave my sourdough starter on the counter to rise throughout the day. Since we’re feeding with mainly white flour, we need to keep a closer eye on when she reaches her peak – white flour sourdough starters tend to flop really quickly which is why we need her nice and thicc today. Once lovely and risen and bubbly, our starter is ready to use!

the stretch-and-fold-process

Instead of kneading my sourdough, I prefer to complete iterations of a stretch and fold process about half an hour after I’ve initially made the dough. To stretch and fold the dough, take the top half of the dough, and stretch it out away from you (but do not pull it apart). Fold this stretched out half over the top of the rest of the dough. Turn the whole dough 90˚ and repeat the whole process until you’ve gone all the way around. I then place the dough back in the bowl and leave it for another half an hour before repeating again. I’ll repeat this entire process 3-4 times throughout the evening. At the end of the stretch and fold process your dough should no longer be dry and flaky but elastic and fairly smooth.

MORE SOURDOUGH RECIPES:

• Sourdough Chive Scones
• Salt & Pepper Honey Spelt Sourdough Crackers
• Sourdough Brioche Rolls
• Super Simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf
• Sourdough Walnut & Cranberry Loaf
• Sourdough 4-Braid Brioche Loaf (No Aquafaba)
• Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Loaf
• My Everyday No-Knead Sourdough Loaf
• Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes

rustic sourdough bagels

Ingredients

• 250ml (1 cup) warm water
• 110g (1/2 cup) bubbly sourdough starter
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 500g (3 ½ cup) strong white bread flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

Toppings (optional)

• sesame seeds
• poppy seeds
• cinnamon sugar

Method

In the evening

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the water, sourdough starter, and oil. Whisk everything together until only just combined.
2. Add in the flour 1 cup at a time along with the salt, stirring all the while until a dough begins to form. You may need more or less flour depending on how sticky or dry it becomes.
3. Once everything has started to come together, using clean hands, knead the dough a little in the bowl until all the flour has been absorbed and everything is fully combined. You should have a fairly shaggy dough.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to sit in a warm place for 30 minutes before completing the stretch and fold process (see above for details).
5. After you’ve completed several iterations of the stretch-and-fold process, cover your dough with a damp tea towel once again and leave to prove for 8-12 hours overnight.

In the morning

1. Your dough should be nicely risen and puffy come morning. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and leave to sit for 10 minutes. After this time, perform one last -stretch-and-fold.
2. Using a pair of scissors or a knife, divide the dough into 10-12 roughly equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. To make the bagel shape, stick your thumb through the middle of each dough ball to form a hole.
3. Stretch out the hole a little, going around the bagel to make it nice and evenly round, until you’re happy with the shape. Repeat until all the dough has been made into bagels.
4. Place each bagel onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with a little flour (this prevents the dough from sticking). Let prove for 1-2 hours until well risen and puffy.
5. Once so, preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Fill a large saucepan half way up with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Add a tbsp of honey, sugar, or maple syrup to the water once hot.
6. Once boiling, add the bagels a couple at a time to the water and let cook for 1 minute on each side. Take them out of the water and leave to drain on a towel for a few minutes before transferring back to the baking tray.
7. Repeat this process for all the bagels. Once all the bagels have been partially cooked, bake them in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and the crust is semi-firm to the touch.
8. Keep an eye on the bagels as they cook because all ovens are different. You want your bagels to be cooked throguh, but leave them too long and the crust will go too crispy (and we want chewy bagels).
9. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Once completely cooled, these bagels can be stored in the bread box for up to 4 days, or in the freezer.

Serve these bagels fresh or toasted, spread with lots of (dairy free) cream cheese. Or however you want 🙂

I hope you love my Rustic Sourdough Bagels as much as I do. If you make this recipe, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys and you can be sure that I will try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made! Happy Spring and I wish you all a beautiful day!

Katherine x

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sourdough chive scones

One of the first things that starts growing in our garden this time of year (and that we can eat) is chives! It feels so good to start eating fresh things again, even if they are simply herbs. To celebrate the occasion, I’m sharing with you my favourite Sourdough Chive Scones recipe. This recipe is INSANELY easy, and basically the savoury version of my Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes. They’re super simple to make and best enjoyed fresh out the oven with PLENTY of butter (dairy-free, of course).

Just look at all those lovely air pockets! I know it’s not the norm, but savoury scones are a big win in my house. We love making them for lunch during the springtime and in a family of garlic lovers, you can’t really go wrong with a little bit of chives. For this recipe, you’re going to need your sourdough starter to be super light – for this reason, we’re feeding it with JUST white flour today. I do like a wholemeal scone, but really nothing beats a good old white flour scone. Enough chit chat – let’s get baking!

MORE SOURDOUGH RECIPES:

• Salt & Pepper Honey Spelt Sourdough Crackers
• Sourdough Brioche Rolls
• Super Simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf
• Sourdough Walnut & Cranberry Loaf
• Sourdough 4-Braid Brioche Loaf (No Aquafaba)
• Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Loaf
• My Everyday No-Knead Sourdough Loaf
• Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes

sourdough chive scones

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened oat milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup bubbly sourdough starter
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Method

In the evening

1. To begin, add the unsweetened oat milk and apple cider vinegar to a bowl and mix to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes until it thickens slightly. This creates a ‘vegan buttermilk’ which helps to make the scones beautiful and rich.
2. Whilst the ‘buttermilk’ thickens, add to a bowl your sourdough starter, olive oil, and flour. Using your fingers or the back of a fork, work the ingredients together until a stringy dough starts to form.
3. Add in the ‘buttermilk’ a little bit at a time and work it into the sourdough mixture with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form. You might not need to add all of the ‘buttermilk’ – just until a smooth, not sticky dough is created.
4. Add in the chives and knead in the bowl for a couple of minutes until they are evenly dispersed throughout. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel.
5. Leave the dough to ferment at room temperature overnight (8-12 hours).

In the morning

1. In the morning, preheat your oven to 180˚C (350˚F) and uncover your dough. Add in the salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
2. With a spoon, gently work the added ingredients into the dough. You want to make sure they’re fully incorporated but be careful not to overwork the dough, otherwise you’ll end up with hockey pucks, not scones.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and let sit for 5-10 minutes. After this time, use your fingers to push out the dough, stretching and flattening it gently until it is 1-inch thick.
4. Take a 2-3-inch cookie cutter and cut out disks from the dough. When doing this, simply press down into the dough to cut – no twisting! Otherwise the edges will seal, and you won’t get a good rise in the scones.
5. Place each scone onto a lined baking tray. Brush with a little plant milk before baking in the oven for 25-30 minutes until they’re well risen and gently golden brown.
6. Serve warm from the oven, slice in half and spread generously with butter (dairy free). Enjoy these scones for lunch or afternoon tea and savour the flavours of early spring!

I hope you love these Sourdough Chive Scones as much as I do. If you make this recipe, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys and you can be sure that I will try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made! Happy Spring and I wish you all a beautiful day!

Katherine x

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sourdough brioche rolls (aka my brioche addiction part 3)

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Okay, I admit I’m just fuelling my own brioche addiction with these recipes but these Sourdough Brioche Rolls really hit the spot. I’ve posted a few sourdough brioche recipes now but these ones are probably my favourite so far. I’m a sucker for easy breakfasts, and these sourdough brioche rolls are fluffy, sweet, and super easy to stick in the toaster, butter generously, and stuff in my face with relish of a wintry February morning. This recipe actually uses exactly the same dough recipe as my Sourdough Brioche Loaf recipe, but I’m going to show you how to make the simplest rolls out of it.

First things first…

We’re well used to what goes on in the Amongst The Flour kitchen by now, I’m sure you guys can tell me what we need to do first. You guessed it, we gotta feed our sourdough starters! I sadly had to throw out my starter a few days ago as she’d gone literally rancid (don’t ask me how I don’t know?) so we’re using a brand new baby this time around. As usual, I’ve fed my starter each day with a 1:1 ratio of rye and white flour, for the best results. For this recipe, this ratio of flour is just fine, but if you want a lighter, meltier, fluffier brioche, I suggest feeding with JUST white flour. You’ll need to keep tabs on the growth of your starter throughout the day, and use it at its peak as soon as it reaches.

Once you’ve got a beautifully bubbly and well risen sourdough starter, add that baby to a bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. As always, I use unsweetened oat milk (at room temperature) and extra virgin olive oil in this recipe. Of course you can use whatever you like, but these are just my preferred ingredients after lots of trial and error. We’re adding maple syrup into this dough, and like usual we’re using the A grade rich stuff (because everyone knows that’s best).

Whisk up all of those wet ingredients until they’re fully combined and then add in the flour a little at a time. I always use strong white bread/bakers flour for my breads but all-purpose flour works alright too. I simply find that bakery grade flours provide you with a nicer bread structure, AND a much lighter texture. Add the flour one cup at a time until you end up with a smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky. Add more or less flour as needed. You want your dough to be of low-ish hydration, but not dry and flaky (and this all depends on the humidity of your kitchen).

Once you’ve got a beautiful and tacky dough, knead her a few times before shaping into a ball, placing into a well-oiled bowl, covering with a DAMP tea towel, and leaving the ferment overnight. Always cover your dough with damp tea towel before proofing so that you don’t end up with a dried out and crispy layer on the top of your dough in the morning.

Stretch-and-fold…

About 1 hour after you’ve put the dough onto proof, you’re going to want to stretch-and-fold the dough. The stretch-and-fold process allows for extra gluten strands in your dough and makes the end result fluffier. To complete a stretch-and-fold, go ahead and take the top half of the dough and stretch it away from you. Fold the stretched out half of the dough over the rest of the dough. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat until you’ve gone all the way around. Then shape the dough back into a ball and place back into the bowl.

You’ll want to repeat this process 2-3 times more, leaving 30 minutes in between each iteration. After that, you’re free to re-cover the dough and let that baby rest for the night. In the morning, your dough should have risen to fill the bowl (or at least doubled in height). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete one last stretch-and-fold before leaving to sit for 15 minutes (this is called the autolyse process and makes the dough much easier to handle later on).

After 15 minutes, cut the dough into 12 roughly even pieces. We’re now going to shape each of these pieces into a roll. Take one piece of dough and gently cup your hands on the far side of the dough. Pull it towards you into a scooping motion before turning 180 degrees and repeating the process until you’ve got a perfectly round little roll. Place the roll onto a lined baking sheet, and repeat this process for the rest of the pieces. Cover the rolls with a damp tea towel and let prove for 1-2 hours, until they’ve increased in size by 50% and are nice and puffy.

Towards the end of the 1-2 hour proof, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly brush the rolls with a little melted dairy-free butter or plant milk, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown on the top. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing in half and serving. I LOVE to enjoy these sourdough brioche rolls smothered in dairy-free butter and drizzled with honey (and a sprinkle of salt if I’m feeling it). Once completely cooled, you can store these rolls in an airtight bag in the freezer and simply defrost and toast when you want them.

And it’s really as simple as that. Super easy Sourdough Brioche Rolls, perfect for breakfast or just whenever. I really hope you love these brioche recipes as much as I do (should I continue the series?). If you make this recipe, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys and you can be sure that I will try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made! Have a warm and cozy winter, and stay safe and healthy this February! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Katherine x

MORE SOURDOUGH RECIPES:

• Super Simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf
• Sourdough Walnut & Cranberry Loaf
• Sourdough 4-Braid Brioche Loaf (No Aquafaba)
• Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Loaf
• My Everyday No-Knead Sourdough Loaf
• Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes

Super Simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf

Ingredients

• 110g (1/2 cup) bubbly, sourdough starter
• 125ml (1/2 cup) unsweetened plant milk
• 65ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 450g (3 cups) strong white bread flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

In the morning

1. Take your sourdough starter out of the fridge and give it a good feed. For this recipe you’ll want your starter to be about the same thickness as pancake batter.
2. Leave the starter to come to room temperature and double in height throughout the day. By about mid-late afternoon, your starter should be ready to use.

In the afternoon

1. Once the starter is nice and bubbly and at least double the height it was originally, pour the stated amount into a large mixing bowl. Add in the milk, oil, syrup, and vanilla, and whisk everything together until combined.
2. Add in the salt and the flour one cup at a time, until everything is combined. You’ll want to use your hands as you add the last of the flour to make sure it’s fully incorporated. Knead gently in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth and fairly elastic.
3. Shape the dough into a ball and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to prove for 8-12 hours overnight. During the fermenting process, complete 2-3 stretch and folds to create long gluten strands in the dough. Complete the first stretch-and-fold after 1 hour, and then the other 1-2 every 30 minutes afterwards.

The next morning

1. In the morning, your dough should have risen to fill the bowl, or at least doubled in height. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete one last stretch-and-fold before leaving to sit for 15 minutes (this is called the autolyse process and makes the dough easier to handle later on).
2. After 15 minutes, cut the dough into 12 roughly even pieces. We’re now going to shape each of these pieces into a roll. Take one piece of dough and gently cup your hands on the far side of the dough. Pull it towards you into a scooping motion before turning 180 degrees and repeating the process until you’ve got a perfectly round little roll.
3. Place the roll onto a lined baking sheet, and repeat this process for the rest of the pieces. Cover the rolls with a damp tea towel and let prove for 1-2 hours, until they’ve increased in size by 50% and are nice and puffy.
4. Towards the end of the 1-2 hour proof, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly brush the rolls with a little melted dairy-free butter or plant milk, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown on the top.
5. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing in half and serving. I LOVE to enjoy these sourdough brioche rolls smothered in dairy-free butter and drizzled with honey (and a sprinkle of salt if I’m feeling it). Once completely cooled, you can store these rolls in an airtight bag in the freezer and simply defrost and toast when you want them.

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super simple sourdough brioche loaf

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By now, we all know that I hate aquafaba with a passion. It is literally my least favourite ingredient in the world (bar maybe coconut cheese) and that’s why I am adamant that I will NEVER use it in any of my bread recipes. In my mission to avoid this darn ingredient, I’ve created this Sourdough Brioche Loaf recipe! A few months ago, I posted a super delicious Sourdough 4 Braid Brioche Loaf recipe which also had no aquafaba, and today we’re repeating the exercise, but making it a little simpler along the way.

This super simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf is super light, super fluffy, super buttery, and the best upgrade to your breakfast. All of that, and it’s traditionally fermented, making it lighter on your gut and therefore easier to digest. I got the inspiration for this recipe simply because I wanted to enjoy a brioche without having to braid it! I love a good French toast made with brioche and using sourdough starter instead of yeast just takes the biscuit.

Something about a slightly sweet, buttered slice of brioche just sings cosy winter time for me, and I’m making the most of the cold weather whilst its still here, to indulge in a few extra baked goods. I love to enjoy this brioche bread freshly sliced and still slightly warm, spread with dairy-free butter and a drizzling of honey. Adding a pinch of cinnamon always adds a bit of warmth to the whole thing too. Okay, without further ado, let’s get into how we make it!

Baker’s Schedule…

DAY ONE

As is the way we do things here, this recipe starts by feeding our sourdough starters! First thing in the morning, I take my starter out of the fridge and leave her to come to room temperature before giving her a generous feed. For this recipe, I’m feeding my starter in a 1:2 ratio of rye and white flour. I usually add in equal measures, but for this recipe we want to dough to be a bit lighter and fluffier, so I add more white flour. After feeding, let your starter double in size over the course of the day.

Once beautifully risen and very bubbly, I make a start on the dough. For this recipe, I use unsweetened oat milk (at room temperature) and extra virgin olive oil. You can use whichever plant milk you like – I tend to use oat milk in my baking because I’ve found it’s most stable at higher temperatures. You can also use melted dairy-free butter instead of olive oil if you wish, just make sure you have the exact same amounts (I consider olive oil to be more of a wholefood than dairy-free butter which is why I use it more often). For maple syrup, I use the rich A grade stuff for the best flavour, but you could use any alternative you like as long as it’s not too heavy e.g. I wouldn’t recommend molasses or similar.

Whisk up all those wet ingredients until well combined, then go ahead and add in the flour. For this recipe I’m using strong baker’s flour (also known as bread flour) instead of all-purpose/plain because I find it gives you a much softer bread at the end. Add in the flour one cup at a time, until your dough is smooth and elastic (not sticky). You might need to add more or less flour, depending on how wet your sourdough starter is and the humidity of your kitchen. Once a dough has formed, knead her a few times before shaping into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, covering with a DAMP tea towel, and leave to ferment overnight.

During the fermenting process, we want to complete a few stretch-and-folds for extra gluten strands and fluffiness. To complete a stretch-and-fold, go ahead and take the top half of the dough and pull it away from you. Fold it over the top of the rest of the dough, then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat this process until you’ve gone all the way around. Do this 2-3 times, leaving 30 minutes or so in between each iteration. After that, cover your dough once again and let that baby rest for the night.

DAY TWO

In the morning, your dough should have risen to fill the bowl, or at least doubled in height. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete one last stretch-and-fold before leaving to sit for 15 minutes (this is called the autolyse process and makes the dough easier to handle later on). After 15 minutes, it’s time to shape the dough. To do this, cup your hands on the far side of the dough, and pull it towards you in a scooping motion. Turn 180° and repeat. We’re aiming to create a tall and firm loaf shape.

Once you’re happy with the shape of your dough, place her into a parchment paper lined loaf tin, seam-side down (if you can). Cover with a DAMP tea towel and leave to prove for 1-2 hours, or until the dough has risen to fill the tin. Towards the end of the prove, preheat the oven and brush the loaf with some plant milk or melted dairy-free butter. Bake until lovely and golden brown, then let cool completely. Slice, spread generously with dairy-free butter and drizzle with honey (or maple syrup) and enjoy! This brioche also works really well toasted or as French toast.

And there it is in all its golden glory – another super simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf with no funny business. I really hope you love this brioche recipe as much as I do. If you make this recipe, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys and you can be sure that I will try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made! Have a warm and cozy winter, and stay safe and healthy this February! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Katherine x

Super Simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf

Ingredients

• 110g (1/2 cup) bubbly, sourdough starter
• 125ml (1/2 cup) unsweetened plant milk
• 65ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 450g (3 cups) strong white bread flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

In the morning

1. Take your sourdough starter out of the fridge and give it a good feed. For this recipe you’ll want your starter to be about the same thickness as pancake batter.
2. Leave the starter to come to room temperature and double in height throughout the day. By about mid-late afternoon, your starter should be ready to use.

In the afternoon

1. Once the starter is nice and bubbly and at least double the height it was originally, pour the stated amount into a large mixing bowl. Add in the milk, oil, syrup, and vanilla, and whisk everything together until combined.
2. Add in the salt and the flour one cup at a time, until everything is combined. You’ll want to use your hands as you add the last of the flour to make sure it’s fully incorporated. Knead gently in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth and fairly elastic.
3. Shape the dough into a ball and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to prove for 8-12 hours overnight. During the fermenting process, complete 2-3 stretch and folds to create long gluten strands in the dough. Complete the first stretch-and-fold after 1 hour, and then the other 1-2 every 30 minutes afterwards.

The next morning

1. In the morning, your dough should have risen to fill the bowl, or at least doubled in height. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete one last stretch-and-fold before leaving to sit for 15 minutes (this is called the autolyse process and makes the dough easier to handle later on).
2. After 15 minutes, it’s time to shape the dough. To do this, cup your hands on the far side of the dough, and pull it towards you in a scooping motion. Turn 180° and repeat. We’re aiming to create a tall and firm loaf shape.
3. Once you’re happy with the shape of your dough, place her into a parchment paper lined loaf tin, seam-side down (if you can). Cover with a DAMP tea towel and leave to prove for 1-2 hours, or until the dough has risen to fill the tin.
4. Towards the end of the prove, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°C) and brush the loaf with some plant milk or melted dairy-free butter. Bake for 30-45 minutes until lovely and golden brown, then let cool completely. Slice, spread generously with dairy-free butter and drizzle with honey (or maple syrup) and enjoy! This brioche also works really well toasted or as French toast.

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sourdough walnut & cranberry loaf

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I’m back and kicking off the year with a brand new sourdough recipe! Recently, I’ve been experimenting with different types of breads and this Sourdough Walnut & Cranberry Loaf has got to be my favourite so far. I’ve always loved a good walnut cob, and cranberries in sourdough just singggggg winter time to me, so why not combine the two? This loaf is your basic white sourdough loaf, but with a subtle crunch of walnuts, and a pinch of tart sweetness from dried cranberries. Really, the best and only way to enjoy this bread is with a good slathering of cream cheese, and it is to die for!

Interested in sourdough? Check out these recipes:

• Vegan Sourdough 4 Braid Brioche Loaf (No Aquafaba)
• Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Loaf
• My Everyday No Knead Sourdough Loaf
• Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes
• Sourdough Breakfast Marmalade Buns
• Vegan Sourdough Pecan Rolls With Maple Cream Cheese Icing

If you make this Sourdough Walnut & Cranberry Loaf make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys, and you can be sure that I’ll try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made!

Have a beautiful week, happy February and I wish you a safe and warm winter! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Katherine x

Sourdough Walnut & Cranberry Loaf

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup bubbly, active sourdough starter
• 1 cup water, room temperature
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 cups strong white bread flour
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, unsweetened

Method

In the evening

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, water, and oil until just combined.
2. Add in the flour and salt. Using your hand, work all of the ingredients together until the flour is fully absorbed and a dough has formed.
3. Add in the walnuts and cranberries and knead everything together until the walnuts and cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and roughly shape the dough into a ball. Cover with a damp tea towel, and leave in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, its time to stretch and fold the dough. Take the far side of the dough and stretch it away from you. Fold the stretched out dough over the top of the rest of the dough. Turn the dough 90˚ and repeat the process for the other 3 sides until you’ve gone all the way around.
6. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and leave to rest in a warm place for 1 hour. After this time, repeat step 4 again (completing another stretch and fold). Once completed, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl (seam side down), cover with a damp tea towel, and leave in a warm place to prove overnight (8-12 hours).

In the morning

1. The dough should have risen plenty overnight. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and leave to sit for 15 minutes.
2. To shape the dough, place your hands on the upper half of the dough and push it across the work surface towards you. Turn 90˚ and repeat until you’re happy with the shape and height of the dough.
3. Place a well-floured tea towel into a large bowl. Onto the floured surface of the tea towel, place the dough seam-side up into the centre and cover with the towel. Leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour.
4. After 1 hour, preheat your oven to 210˚C (450˚F) and line the bottom of a Dutch oven pan with parchment paper. Place the dough seam-side up in the Dutch oven pan and score (optional).
5. Once the oven is up to temperature, place the bread in the oven with the lid to the Dutch oven on, and bake for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and leave to bake for another 40 minutes until golden brown on the surface.
7. Remove the bread from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Once handleable, remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and leave to cool completely (1 hour minimum) on a wire rack.

Enjoy this Sourdough Walnut & Cranberry loaf fresh with lots of cream cheese OR slice and seal into a freezer-safe airtight bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

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vegan sourdough 4 braid brioche loaf (no aquafaba)

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BAKER’S SCHEDULE

I’ll let you in on a little secret… I HATE aquafaba. It’s on of my least favourite ingredients in the world and that is why I’ve created this Vegan Sourdough 4 Braid Brioche Loaf with NO AQUAFABA. That’s right! You can enjoy fluffy, airy, and light brioche without having to hassle with using chickpea water. This brioche is super fluffy, smells like a bakery, and tastes DIVINE. It’s super buttery without the need for butter, and perfect for breakfasts (or just general snacking). All of that and it’s traditionally fermented, meaning that its easy going on the gut. My best loaf yet… let’s get into it!

I got my inspiration for this loaf from the simple yet beautiful ‘Challah’ bread. I’ve always loved the delicate twists and folds of the braided patterns of the loaf, and decided I wanted to make my own, but sourdough (and plant based). In the end, however, the loaf I came out with actually reminds me more of ‘Butterzopf’. Butterzopf is a Swiss bread traditionally eaten on Sunday mornings. It’s buttery, fluffy, and beautiful. It reminds me of my trip to Switzerland a few years ago, of sunny summer mornings spent on the deck looking at mountains from across the valley and enjoying breakfast with my family. Alpine air, fresh milk, and honey. This recipe brings back a little of those memories.

This recipe is my variation of a Butterzopf, made with vegan ingredients and sourdough starter. It feels nice to have my own recipe for this delicious bread, and I’m very excited to share it with you guys! This bread takes a little extra attention to detail (on top of the labour of love we call sourdough) but the outcome is just… *chef’s kiss*. Okay, let’s stop getting so sentimental and start baking!

Baker’s Schedule…

DAY ONE

As is the way we roll, this recipe shows Sybil (my sourdough starter) some love! First thing when I wake up, I take her out the fridge and give her a generous feeding. I always feed my sourdough starter with a 1:1 ratio of rye and white flour, and add enough water until it’s as thick as pancake batter. For this recipe, however, I recommend feeding your starter with ONLY white flour to create an extra fluffy, extra light, melt-on-the-tongue dough. After feeding, I let the starter come to room temperature and grow to at least double the original height (she’s usually ready around mid afternoon).

Once nice and bubbly, it’s time to make the dough! For this recipe, I use unsweetened oat milk (at room temperature) and extra virgin olive oil. You can use whichever plant milk you like – I tend to use oat milk in my baking because I’ve found it’s most stable at higher temperatures. You can also use melted vegan butter instead of olive oil if you wish, just make sure you have the exact same amounts (I consider olive oil to be more of a wholefood than vegan butter which is why I use it more often). For maple syrup, I use the rich A grade stuff for the best flavour, but you could use any alternative you like as long as it’s not too heavy e.g. I wouldn’t recommend molasses or similar.

Whisk up all those wet ingredients until well combined, then go ahead and add in the flour. For this recipe I’m using strong baker’s flour (also known as bread flour) instead of all-purpose/plain because I find it gives you a much softer bread at the end. Add in the flour one cup at a time, until your dough is smooth and elastic (not sticky). You might need to add more or less flour, depending on how wet your sourdough starter was and the humidity of your kitchen. Once a dough has formed, knead her a few times before shaping into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, covering with a DAMP tea towel, and leave to ferment overnight.

During the fermenting process, we want to complete a few stretch-and-folds for extra gluten strands and fluffiness. To complete a stretch-and-fold, go ahead and take the top half of the dough and pull it away from you. Fold it over the top of the rest of the dough, then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat this process until you’ve gone all the way around. Do this 2-3 times, leaving 30 minutes or so in between each iteration. After that, cover your dough once again and let that baby rest for the night.

DAY TWO

In the morning, your dough should have risen to fill the bowl, or at least doubled in height. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete one last stretch-and-fold before leaving to sit for 15 minutes (this is called the autolyse process and makes the dough easier to handle later on). After 15 minutes, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Onto an un-floured surface, use your hands to roll each piece into a long strand (at least 50cm long and 1 inch thick).

Take all 4 strands, and stick them together at one end with a little water. Now, count the strands from left to right like so: 1, 2, 3, 4. Take strand 1 and place it in between strands 2 and 3. Now place strand 3 where strand 1 was originally. Make sure you cross each of the strands over fairly tightly, so that you can achieve more of a plait. Now, repeat this process but going in the other direction – count the strands from right to left like so: 1, 2, 3, 4. Take strand 1 and place it in between strands 2 and 3. Now place strand 3 where strand 1 was originally. Repeat this process, alternating between the two directions after each iteration, until all the dough has been used up.

Tuck the ends under so you have a nice round loaf at each end. Place onto a lined baking tray and cover with a DAMP tea towel for at least 2 hours, until the loaf is nice and puffed up. The loaf won’t double in size, but should rise to at least 50% larger than it was. Towards the end of the 2 hour prove, preheat the oven and brush the loaf with some plant milk or melted vegan butter. Bake until lovely and golden brown, then let cool completely. Slice, spread with vegan butter and jam (or enjoy it on its own) and serve with a cup of coffee. The perfect delight to enjoy for breakfast, tea time, or just whenever you feel like it!

And there it is in all its golden glory – a super simple Vegan Sourdough 4 Braid Brioche Loaf with NO AQUAFABA. I really hope you love this brioche recipe as much as I do, and it becomes special to you in your own way too. Thanks to this recipe, I can enjoy sunny mornings in the Swiss valleys whenever I want (sort of). If you make this recipe, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys and you can be sure that I will try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made! Have a beautiful autumn and a safe and warm November! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Katherine x

vegan sourdough 4 braid brioche loaf (no aquafaba)

Ingredients

• 220g (1 cup) bubbly, sourdough starter
• 250ml (1 cup) unsweetened plant milk
• 125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
• 65ml (1/3 cup) maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 750g (5 cups) strong white bread flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

In the morning

1. Take your sourdough starter out of the fridge and give it a good feed. For this recipe you’ll want your starter to be about the same thickness as pancake batter.
2. Leave the starter to come to room temperature and double in height throughout the day. By about mid-late afternoon, your starter should be ready to use.

In the afternoon

1. Once the starter is nice and bubbly and at least double the height it was originally, pour the stated amount into a large mixing bowl. Add in the milk, oil, syrup, and vanilla, and whisk everything together until combined.
2. Add in the salt and the flour one cup at a time, until everything is combined. You’ll want to use your hands as you add the last of the flour to make sure it’s fully incorporated. Knead gently in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth and fairly elastic.
3. Shape the dough into a ball and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to prove for 8-12 hours overnight. Whilst the dough is proving, complete 2-3 of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes or so, to help create long gluten strands in the brioche.

The next morning

1. Overnight, your dough should have at least doubled in height. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, complete another stretch-and-fold, then leave to sit for 15 minutes.
2. After this time, cut the dough into four sections. On a clean work surface, roll each section out into a long strand shape (you may want to slightly wet your hands to help the dough roll). Roll the dough out until it is at least 50cm long.
3. Repeat for all the rest of the dough. Once all your dough is rolled out, join them together at one end. Count the dough strands from left to right 1, 2, 3, 4.
4. Take strip 1 and place it in between strips 2 and 3. Take strip 3 and place it where strip 1 was originally. Make sure you cross over the strands fairly tightly, otherwise you won’t get much of a plait.
5. Repeat step 4 going from the other side (right to left 1, 2, 3, 4). Repeat the plaiting motion from both sides until all the dough has been plaited. Once so, tuck the ends in underneath slightly before carefully transferring to a lined baking sheet.
6. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to puff up slightly for 2 hours. The dough won’t quite double in size but that’s okay. Get it to puff up as much as possible, to create a really fluffy brioche.
7. Towards the end of the 2 hours prove, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°C). Gently brush the top and sides of the brioche with a little plant milk, before placing in the oven to bake for 30-40 minutes. Once baked and beautifully golden brown, remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing and serving with vegan butter and lots of jam!

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my everyday no knead sourdough loaf

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A year ago today, I made my first ever loaf of sourdough bread. Since then, I have been using the same recipe every single time I want to make a loaf of sourdough. My Everyday No-Knead Sourdough Loaf recipe has become a staple recipe in my household and its high time I shared the recipe so you can make it yours too.

Sourdough has become a fascination of mine lately, and although I’ve shared other sourdough recipes on this blog (Sourdough Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls, Sourdough Breakfast Marmalade Buns, Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes), asides from my Traditional Country Bread Loaf recipe, I’ve never shared a SOURDOUGH bread loaf. This Everyday No-Knead Sourdough Loaf requires minimal ingredients, and minimal effort, but it’s delicious.

I’ve been working on this recipe for a year now, and in recent months it has never failed to turn out successful. In this year, I’ve gotten through many forgotten about or moldy starters, but have finally committed to my most recent starter (her name is Sybil) and she stays in the fridge when I’m not using her to prevent waste and mold. If you would like a mini guide on how to make a sourdough starter and look after one, let me know! I’m eager to create more content for you all.

The sourdough starter is the life force behind any sourdough recipe. They’re not too tricky to look after, but characteristics do change throughout the season. In the summer, I like to keep my sourdough starter in the fridge until I need it. In the morning, I remove my starter from the fridge and leave it to come to room temperature. By around mid-afternoon I give the starter a good feeding (usually a couple big spoons of plain flour and a glug of room temperature water – I don’t measure exactly).

After a few hours in the warmth of my kitchen, the starter has more than doubled in size and is ready to use. To start the dough, I pour a good helping of starter into a large mixing bowl, along with room temperature water and a quick splash of extra virgin olive oil. Mix all of that together thoroughly until just about combined (it’s important not to overmix as you’ll knock out all the air bubbles in the starter).

I then add the flour (I use organic strong white bread flour every time) and a good helping of sea salt to form a yummy crust. Using my hand, I squish all of the ingredients together until all the flour has absorbed and a dough forms. The dough should be fairly dry and flaky. Shape the dough into a rough ball and place it back in the bowl for around 30 minutes.

This begins the stretch and fold process…

Instead of kneading my sourdough, I prefer to complete iterations of a stretch and fold process. To stretch and fold the dough, take the top half of the dough, and stretch it out away from you (but do not pull it apart). Fold this stretched out half over the top of the rest of the dough. Turn the whole dough 90˚ and repeat the whole process until you’ve gone all the way around. I then place the dough back in the bowl and leave it for an hour before repeating again.

At the end of the stretch and fold process your dough should no longer be dry and flaky but elastic and fairly smooth. Place your dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel (this stops it from drying during the overnight prove). Leave the dough in a warm place to prove overnight.

In the morning, the dough usually fills the bowl after rising so much. Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and leave it to sit for 15 minutes. This is called the autolyze process and helps the gluten in the dough to relax (I don’t know if this is scientifically correct, but whenever I don’t let my dough autolyze, I find that it doesn’t hold its structure very well). Once the dough has sat for a good while, shape into a ball and place inside a bowl lined with a well-floured towel. For me, this ensures that the bread keeps it’s height and doesn’t spread out upon baking (before I used this method I used to always end up with frisbee loaves).

To bake, I use a Dutch oven, but you can use any oven-safe pan that will fit the dough inside it. For the first 20 minutes, keep the lid of the Dutch oven on, to help the centre of the bread loaf to cook without over browning the surface. Take the lid off after this time and bake for a further 40 minutes to ensure the loaf forms a good crust and a golden-brown surface.

It’s important to let the loaf sit for a few minutes after baking before handling so that you don’t knock any air out. After 5-10 minutes, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for around 1 hour. Who else absolutely adores that crackling noise that comes from a cooling loaf of sourdough? I let my bread loaves cool properly before slicing to maintain that beautiful sourdough structure in the centre. Once cool enough, slice, and top lavishly with plant based cream cheese and Four Fruit Marmalade.

If you make My Everyday No Knead Sourdough Loaf make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys, and you can be sure that I’ll try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made!

Have a beautiful weekend, happy July, and I wish you a safe and warm Summer! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Katherine x

My Everyday No Knead Sourdough Loaf

• this recipe serves: 8
• prep time: 2 hours
• ferment time: 12 hours
• cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 150g bubbly sourdough starter
• 250ml water, room temp
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 500g strong white bread flour
• 2 tsp fine sea salt

Method

In the evening

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, water, and oil until just combined.
2. Add in the flour and salt. Using your hand, work all of the ingredients together until the flour is fully absorbed and a dough has formed.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and roughly shape the dough into a ball. Cover with a damp tea towel, and leave in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes, its time to stretch and fold the dough. Take the far side of the dough and stretch it away from you. Fold the stretched out dough over the top of the rest of the dough. Turn the dough 90˚ and repeat the process for the other 3 sides until you’ve gone all the way around.
5. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and leave to rest in a warm place for 1 hour. After this time, repeat step 4 again (completing another stretch and fold). Once completed, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl (seam side down), cover with a damp tea towel, and leave in a warm place to prove overnight (8-12 hours).

In the morning

1. The dough should have risen plenty overnight. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and leave to sit for 15 minutes.
2. To shape the dough, place your hands on the upper half of the dough and drag it across the work surface towards you. Turn 90˚ and repeat until you’re happy with the shape and height of the dough.
3. Place a well-floured tea towel into a large bowl. Onto the floured surface of the tea towel, place the dough seam-side up into the centre and cover with the towel. Leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour.
4. After 1 hour, preheat your oven to 210˚C (450˚F) and line the bottom of a Dutch oven pan with parchment paper. Place the dough seam-side up in the Dutch oven pan and score (optional).
5. Once the oven is up to temperature, place the bread in the oven with the lid to the Dutch oven on, and bake for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and leave to bake for another 40 minutes until golden brown on the surface.
7. Remove the bread from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Once handleable, remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and leave to cool completely (1 hour minimum) on a wire rack.
8. Slice and serve slightly warm with plenty of butter or cream cheese and marmalade. Enjoy!

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sourdough breakfast marmalade buns

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BAKING SCHEDULE

Breakfast this weekend is Sourdough Breakfast Marmalade Buns! Lately, I have been completely obsessed with sourdough and baking new ferments, but if there’s one thing I love just as much… it’s marmalade. Hence the creation of this love child – Sourdough Marmalade Buns. These simple bread buns are perfect for breakfast and they go PERFECTLY with cream cheese and marmalade (It’s almost as if they were created for that reason…)!

If you love to enjoy bread for breakfast, and the hearty, comforting flavours of sourdough, then you’re in for a treat! These buns have a slightly crispy crust but they’re super duper soft on the inside. Speckled with chunks of orange peel, the colour really jumps out at you and hits you with a BURST of flavour. I absolutely love pairing these babies with cream cheese (plant based, of course) and homemade marmalade.

If you’re looking for the perfect breakfast this weekend (or a delicious surprise brunch for your mum if you’re celebrating Mother’s Day this Sunday) then you HAVE to try these Sourdough Marmalade Buns. They’re super easy to make, but do take a little bit of preparation, so make sure you start the dough the day before!

Here’s the baking schedule…

Day One

In the morning: feed your sourdough starter.

In the afternoon: once doubled in height, your starter is ready to use! Follow the ‘In the afternoon’ section of the method showcased below. Leave the dough to prove in a warm place overnight.

Day Two

In the morning: Follow the ‘In the morning’ section of the method showcased below. Once cool enough to handle, slice in half, spread with plant based cream cheese and homemade marmalade, and serve. Enjoy!

The secret to really soft and fluffy sourdough is to NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH. In every sourdough recipe, it’s important to handle the dough as minimally as possible, keeping the dough beautiful and elastic, and maintaining that bubbly structure. If you’d love to see more sourdough recipes, tips, and tricks on here, please let me know! I’m super passionate about sourdough!

Finally, if you make these Sourdough Breakfast Marmalade Buns make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys, and you can be sure that I’ll try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made!

Have a beautiful weekend, happy May, and I wish you a safe and warm Spring! I look forward to hearing from your soon!

Katherine x

Sourdough Breakfast Marmalade Buns

Ingredients:

• 150g bubbly sourdough starter
• 250ml warm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 500g strong white bread flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 150g dried mixed peel

Method:

In the afternoon:

1. In a large bowl, add the sourdough starter, water, and oil. Whisk until just combined. Add in the flour and salt. Using your hand, work the wet and dry ingredients together until the flour is absorbed and everything is fully combined.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. After this time, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Take the far side of the dough, stretch it away from you, and then fold it over the top of the rest of the dough. Turn the dough 90˚ and repeat the process for the other 3 sides until you’ve gone all the way around.
4. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and leave to rest in a warm place for 1 hour. After this time, repeat step 3. Once completed, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl (seam side down), cover with a damp tea towel, and leave in a warm place to prove overnight (8-12 hours).

In the morning:

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and leave it to sit for 10 minutes. After this time, gently stretch the dough out a little until it lays flat (DO NOT USE A ROLLING PIN).
2. In the centre of the dough, add the dried mix peel and spread it evenly across the entire surface of the dough.
3. Fold the dough in half and then in half again, then begin to gently knead it until the peel is evenly distributed throughout the entire dough. You don’t want to knead for more than a minute, otherwise the dough will become tough.
4. Shape into a ball, place back into the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and leave in a warm place to prove for 1-2 hours or until the dough has increased in size by 50% (it will not double in size).
5. Once so, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 8 pieces (I used scissors for this).
6. Shape each piece of dough into a ball then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Fit 4 dough balls per tray.
7. Cover the trays with a damp tea towel and leave the dough balls to prove for 1 hour, until they have risen slightly.
8. Whilst the dough is proving, preheat the oven to 180˚C.  Once risen, remove the tea towel and bake the buns in the oven for 20-30 minutes until nicely risen and golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy with vegan butter, marmalade, and a good old cup of coffee. Enjoy!

Once completely cool, these buns can be kept in an airtight container or bread box for up to 3 days.

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vegan herby garlic pesto plait loaf

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Dreaming of this super fluffy Herby Garlic Pesto Plait Loaf today! It is literally the perfect bread for sharing, for serving as garlic bread, or for eating all to yourself (don’t mind if I do)! I have mastered fluffy bread with this recipe, and I can assure that you won’t be disappointed. It’s got all the flavours of garlic bread, it toasts perfectly, and you even sort of get your greens in with the pesto (not really but I like to think you can).

Honestly, I have been obsessed with breadmaking for such a long time now. Do you think I should set up my own mini bakery??? I’ve been toying with the idea. But this plaited loaf has definitely been a highlight of my week. I love serving this Herby Garlic Pesto Butter Plait Loaf sliced and toasted on the side of a good hot bowl of pasta.

The key to this recipe is to make sure you FILL the centre with loads of pesto, so you get that real earthy good flavour. I’m a very big fan of pesto, particularly with bread, and my Garlic Walnut Kale Pesto just works so beautifully. The plaiting of the loaf is also super simple to do as well so you’ll have no doubts about presentation.

Let’s take a look a little closer.

To make the bread all beautiful and fluffy (I swear I’m in love with this recipe right now) you want to make sure that you start out fluffy. When preparing the yeast mixture, make sure you give the yeast a good time to get all foamy on the top. I LOVE using unsweetened oat milk in this recipe, mainly because it’s really creamy but it also has a subtle flavour which doesn’t distract from the pesto later on.

To keep the fluffiness, when you’re working with the dough, be sure not to handle it too much, otherwise you’re going to end up with tough bread and no one wants that. Prove the dough in a nice warm place where it won’t be disturbed and make sure it has doubled in size before continuing on with the next step.

I’ve made shaping the dough super simple as well. I wanted to incorporate layers into the bread before plaiting to make sure the pesto goes all the way through the dough, but this doesn’t add any complexity. Once you’ve added a good load of pesto and butter and all those yummy fillings, fold the thirds of the dough over the top of each other (like a pamphlet) so you’ve got three layers. Cut lengthways into three strips and plait! It’s as simple as that (no nonsense in this kitchen).

When baking, OF COURSE you want to spread a little melted vegan butter or plant milk on the top to give it that nice golden brown colour when it comes out the oven. You could even brush with melted vegan garlic butter if you wished, for an extra garlic kick (I’ve never tried this, but if you do let me know how it goes!). Leave to cool, slice, then serve! Literally the best bread you’ll have ever tasted!

Finally, if you make this Herby Garlic Pesto Plait Loaf, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys, and you can be sure that I’ll try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made!

Have a beautiful week, happy March, and I wish you a safe and warm rest of the week! I look forward to hearing from your soon!

Katherine x

Herby Garlic Pesto Plait Loaf

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 1 packet dry active yeast
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 300ml unsweetened plant milk, warmed
• pinch of salt
• 375g strong white bread flour

For the herby garlic pesto filling:

• 50g vegan unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 batch Vegan Garlic Walnut Kale Pesto
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

To make the bread dough:

1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast and sugar. Beat in the warmed milk using a fork and leave to sit for 5-10 minutes until the surface is foamy.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Make a dip in the centre of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Stir everything together carefully using a wooden spoon until just combined.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes until smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave to prove for 1 hour.

To construct:

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and spread into a large rectangle using your fingers Spread the butter and then the pesto over the entire surface of the dough, making sure everything is evenly spread. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Fold one third of the dough over the central third, then repeat on the other side, so the dough is now in three layers. Cut this lengthways into three strips, leaving the top of the dough attached. Plait the three strips semi-loosely into a braid. Tuck the edges under, transfer to a lined baking sheet, cover, and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Brush the dough with a little melted vegan butter. Once the oven is up to temperature, bake the bread for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on the top. Leave to cool for 20+ minutes then slice and serve warm. Enjoy!

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vegan cornbread loaf

Lately, I have been thoroughly enjoying making all different types of bread to go with my stews and pasta dishes. This vegan cornbread is a delicious and classic pairing for warm and hearty chili! I had cornbread for the first time a few years ago on a trip to Canada and instantly I was hooked! The salty fluffy taste of cornbread with soulful dishes is now all I crave over the colder months. This recipe for cornbread loaf is super simple and so yummy. Pair with our Soulful Vegan Three Bean Chili for dinner tonight and you’re in for a treat! Let’s get into it!

• serves: 12
• preparation time: 10 minutes
• cook time: 40 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 120g cornmeal
• 155g wholewheat plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp milled flax seeds
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 125ml extra virgin olive oil
• 125ml unsweetened plant milk
• 80ml warm water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 190˚C (375˚F) and line a 1 lb loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, flax seeds, and salt. Mix everything together until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, plant milk, water, and vinegar until everything is well combined (don’t worry if the oil separates again).
4. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir everything together until combined (be careful not to over-stir as all the air will be knocked out).
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked through and golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Slice and serve with our Soulful Vegan Three Bean Chili. Enjoy! Once completely cool, this cornbread can be kept in an airtight container in a cool dry place. Use within 2-3 days.

If you make this Vegan Cornbread Loaf, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys and you can be sure that I will try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made! Have a beautiful week, happy February, and I wish you a warm and safe rest of the winter! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Katherine x

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