Sumptuous sourdough brownies

The best thing about this brownie, you’ll be pleased to hear, is THE FLAVOUR! You’re spending your valuable time creating something, so it’s got to at least taste good as the payoff. This recipe has the chocolate taste you are seeking, with the additional bonus of a sourdough tang dancing along the tastebuds. Are you drooling yet? He he! Please don’t be intimidated about making something sweet with sourdough starter. It’s just a case of having a starter, which has started working on the gluten in the flour, ahead of you baking. That’s an advantage for flavour and maybe for our digestion too. If you have a white flour sourdough starter, it’s just a case of scooping some into these and mixing it in. Easy peasy. You may be able to try it with a wholemeal or rye starter too. If you’re looking for a gluten free brownie, try my enjoyable gluten free brownie recipe for those. I have a fudgy vegan brownie recipe waiting for you to make it, or look at the ingredient swaps below.

Makes 9 large or 12 smaller brownies

Utensils

20 x 20 cm (8 inch) square, high sided baking tin, greased and lined with greaseproof paper

Saucepan with wooden spoon or a glass bowl for melting ingredients in

Or a large mixing bowl and wooden spoon or baking spatula

Ingredients

115g unsalted butter

200g granulated sugar

55g light brown sugar

60g cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 medium eggs

115g sourdough starter (this is starter that has been fed and allowed to sit overnight)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

50g milk chocolate chips

50g white or dark chocolate chips

Swaps

Butter for plant butter

Eggs for egg substitute

Chocolate for free from chocolate

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan/190°C/gas 5. Grease your tin and line it with greaseproof paper. Push it well into the corners.

Either melt the butter on a low heat in a saucepan and stir with the wooden spoon. Or melt the butter the glass mixing bowl, in the microwave, on 30 second bursts, stirring in between until melted.

Put your melted butter in a mixing bowl, if it’s in a saucepan. Add the two sugars, cocoa and vanilla to the melted butter and mix together well. Put to one side for a few minutes to cool.

While you’re waiting you can measure your chocolate chips and then break your two eggs into a small bowl, to check they’re all good.

Bring your mixing bowl back with the melted butter, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add the eggs and stir in well.

Stir in the sourdough starter, salt and baking powder, until it is fully mixed.

Then get your two different chocolate chips and stir in. That was pretty straight forward, wasn’t it?

Get your baking tin and pour the mixture in there, releasing any mixture from the bowl with the sides of a spatula. Smooth down the top of the brownie mixture to reach all four corners of the tin and smooth down the top, using the spoon or spatula.

Place in the oven and bake for 22-26 minutes, until the edges are firmer and the middle has a slight wobble to it. If it needs 5 more minutes, then return it to the oven.

Remove from the oven and keep it in its tin. Place on a wire rack to cool fully.

As with most brownies, you can cut them as they are or you can place in the fridge for a couple of hours. That way they will cut a lot more easily without breaking.

To cut, use the greaseproof to pull the slab out and release it from the tin, onto a large chopping board. Use a high sided knife to cut into 9 or 12.

Have fun devouring these. We did! I dare you to resist a second one. It’s a flavour sensation!

Store these in an airtight container for up to a week. Or you can wrap them, while they’re still fresh and freeze for a month. Defrost at room temperature before eating.

If you enjoyed this recipe and want to try more, you can order a copy of my recipe book here.

Copyright The Doorstep Baker, Catherine Lloyd-Williams