Sourdough Bread Start(er) to Finish

“If you really want to make a friend, go round someone’s house with a freshly baked loaf of sourdough bread!”
― Chris Geiger

Enjoy a little biology and chemistry while learning how to start your own sourdough “mother” and then continue learning the full process of breadmaking using the starter.

This class covers both gluten free and wheat breads.  PLEASE MAKE SURE TO INDICATE YOU DESIRE GF INSTRUCTION.

Our ancestors didn’t open a little envelope of yeast to make bread.  They made it using their own cultures. 

This class focuses on making bread without commercial yeast.  You can do this easily at home also. In this session, assemble the sourdough mother. Learn how to finish it in just a few minutes a day. It takes about a week of daily attention. Enjoy nibbling on sourdough bread, making friends and good times, and great artisan learning.

Bring a mason jar and ring or other container (up to 2 quarts), to take home your newly born starter.  You’ll also bring home a loaf of bread (as well as a new skill and recipe) home to enjoy.

Adult $45

Gluten Free. $48


Sourdough Bread – Not the Starter

Sourdough bread is another artisan skill.

So, you have a good sourdough starter, but do you know how to make bread from it with no added commercial yeast and with literally just minutes of active attention?

Chef Valerie has worked on this artisan bread technique for years and is still excited and amazed by it. 

Learn technique for making bread easily and without commercial yeast.  You can repeat this at home and be a hero to your friends and guests.  Best part?  You can keep the dough “at the ready” for baking when you want.  This is the follow-up session to Sourdough Starter.  

Adult On-Site $25

Adult Online $20


Bread

In each box below, click on the name of the class you are interested in to see it’s description and schedule.  Remember you can request a class to be scheduled  for a date/time that suits your calendar.   When you see mention of Customer preference, it is an invitation to suggest a topic not listed that interests you.  Use the Select by Category box to jump around by various topics.

Sourdough

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Traditional Yeast Bread

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Sweet Bread

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Sourdough Starter

How To Series – Show Me How To….

Sourdough Starter

Sourdough bread is a fantastic artisan skill.
Enjoy a little biology and chemistry while learning how to start your own sourdough “mother”. This starter can be used to make bread with or (if you are a purist) without commercial yeast. At Art of Cookery our sourdough bread contains ZERO commercial yeast. You can do this easily at home also. In this session, assemble the sourdough mother. Learn how to finish it in just a few minutes a day. It takes about a week of daily attention. Enjoy sourdough bread and good times, great artisan learning. Bring a mason jar or other container and a lid.  

Be sure to register to attend the next session Sourdough Bread to learn how to use your starter.  

Onsite:  $19

Online:  $15


How To Series

In each box below, click on the name of the class you are interested in to see it’s description and schedule.  Remember you can request a class to be scheduled that suits your calendar. 

Also, use the Select by Category box to jump around by various topics. 

These class fees range from $15 to $24 (with the exception of soapmaking 101 at $39).

Use an Air Fryer/Convection Oven

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How to Safely and Confidently use an Electric Pressure Cooker

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Non Food Skills

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Miscellaneous

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Sally’s Sourdough Scones

Sourdough scones are a no-brainer.

But only if you are an avid sourdough mother fermenter!

I started my sourdough ferment decades ago.  I call her Sally and she lives in a half gallon blue Ball jar in my refrigerator.  She has a fantastic depth of flavor and character unique to her due to how I feed her.  At Art of Cookery I teach classes on sourdough so check out our schedule.  Don’t see something you are interested in?  We take requests!

But that’s a different story.

This one is about scones borne of her deliciousness.  I feed Sally weekly, adding to her volume.  However, I don’t always bake bread weekly (especially since we closed our bed and breakfast, removing the need for copious amounts of toast).  Pouring some of her down the drain to make room would be unforgiveable.  So, another use requires development (this means I have been playing in the kitchen, one of my favorite activities).  With Sally, I have recently made:

  • Sourdough pancakes
  • Sourdough chocolate cake
  • Sourdough flour tortillas
  • Sourdough scones

They were all terrific.

But, the scones seemed to have a remarkable height and delicateness that is worthy of taking the time to blog about it.  While I made cherry chocolate chip scones, you can switch it up with any dried or fairly dry fruit.  Examples are dried raisins, currants, figs, pineapple; and, diced rhubarb and apples.  Because I knew I was serving them to a group that included someone who didn’t like chocolate, I chose to top the scones with the dried cherries and mini chocolate chips so that they could be removed.  This recipe suggests you incorporate them.  You can choose either.

Photos are at the bottom so you can see texture and process clues.

Sourdough Country Scones

Prepare.  You need:

  • 2 bowls. Small and medium
  • Pastry Blender (just two knives work if you don’t have a pastry blender) AND Spoon/rubber scraper
  • 1 and ½ cup dry measure; 1 cup liquid measure
  • 1 & ½ teaspoon; 1 tablespoon measures
  • Pastry brush AND knife or bench scraper
  • Baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup raisins (or chocolate chips or dried fruit of choice, I like currants or mango/pineapple)
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 TBSP baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5 TBSP cold butter
  • 1 cup sourdough starter
  • 3 TBSP sour cream
  • 2 TBSP orange juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or nutmeg)
  • Heavy cream (for patting and brushing scone tops)
  • Additional sugar (optional, for sprinkling on top)
  • Orange zest, optional

 Make:

In medium mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, & salt.  Use a pastry blender to cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

In small bowl, mix sourdough starter, sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla.  Fold wet mixture into dry mixture.  Use a spoon and stir until just moistened.

Add fruit and mix only lightly.   Squeeze and press some with hands to blend fruit.  It will be sticky.  Scrape/Pour onto prepared baking sheet.  With hands wet with cold cream (to help prevent it sticking to your hands), press together and pat dough into a round shape ½ inch thick.  Sprinkle with zest and brush tops with cream and sugar if desired.  Cut dough into 8 or 16 wedges and use a pie server to slightly separate about 1/2 inch apart (or, cut and leave together.  It depends on whether you want a crisper exterior all of the way around, or soft moist sides.

Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.   Makes 8 large or 16 small scones.

Notes:

  • If doing chocolate, omit the cinnamon as the combo may not be to everyone’s tastes.
  • If using rhubarb (which is fantastic) use nutmeg and toss the diced rhubarb in a little extra granulated sugar to coat.
  • If you cut them into 16 or so pieces, they will bake faster than 8 pieces so watch for a golden kiss to tell doneness.
  • If health/weight conscious, reduce the sugar and don’t top with sugar and cream.
  • Greek yogurt works as a substitute for sour cream, lemons/lemonade work just as well as orange/orange juice, and almond (or other extract) works well instead of vanilla.  Make these have YOUR desired flavor profile.

If you make these sourdough scones, please tell me about it!!  Share a picture on our Facebook page Art of Cookery.

Photos of Sourdough Scone Making