I have tried several times to make sourdough brownies and all so far ended in the trash can. This time I referenced the brownies from Wild Yeast. Though my instincts led me to believe that this recipe might work, the recipe made too many brownies for one person. The brownies looked nice and were sourdough. A problem with the recipe was that it contained 200 g of sugar. A Messy Kitchen used this same recipe from Wild Yeast but added malted milk powder. The malt is usually made from barley and wheat and cannot be used by a gluten intolerant person. Plain powdered milk can be substituted for the malted milk powder.
Being diabetic, I adapted the brownies for less sugar by using 50 grams of sugar and 3 tablespoons of Stevia in the Raw. Some sugar is needed not only for sweetness but moisture and tenderness. I also reduced the recipe by half because I didn't need that many brownies and would be wasting less ingredients if the adapted recipe didn't work and the brownies had to be thrown out. The amount of ingredients in the reduced recipe has worked out perfect.
Mine didn't have the shiny crust on top. The editor of The Kitchn suggests that the shiny top comes from beating the eggs into the creamed butter and sugar longer. Chaire from Out of the Ordinary Food agrees. Both agree that only granulated sugar will give the shiny crust and using extra sugar will give a great shiny crust. Guess I'll have to live without the shiny, crusty tops on brownies.
I think I will always miss those crusty gluten fudgy brownies that you don't have to worry about falling apart when they are just out of the oven. There is nothing like a warm fudge brownie with ice cream. But I'll settle for these sourdough brownies -- they can be eaten warm even though they fall apart. They don't gluten me and that is a good thing! If you want these brownies to look beautiful, they have to be completely cool before moving them or slicing them. Once cool, they will stay together.
Gluten Free Sourdough Brownies
Ingredients:
150g (1 cup) GF dark chocolate chips or dark GF chocolate bars or GF semisweet chocolate chips
113g (1/2 cup) butter (your choice)
100 g (1/2 cup) sugar (or 50 g of sugar and 3 tablespoons sugar substitute or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons honey (optional)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded zucchini with water squeezed out
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 grams regular or dark cocoa powder (not sweetened)
10 grams mik powder
pinch of cinnamon
110 g mature gluten free sourdough starter 100% hydration
1/2 cup to 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
1. Prepare the sourdough starter by feeding it 7-12 hours before using it. (The bacteria and wild yeast need time to complete their symbiotic relationship).
2. Preheat oven to 325℉
3. Prepare a 8x8-inch baking dish by lining with parchment. (Leave parchment "handles" to lift the brownies from the pan to cool).
4. In a saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring constantly, just enough to melt. The butter and chocolate can also be melted in microwave for 15 seconds in a microwavable dish. Stir the melted butter and chips together. If the chips are not fully melted, place in microwave for 10-15 seconds and stir again. When melting in the microwave, watch the melting very carefully!
5. Beat the sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs together until well mixed. Stir in the honey if using.
6. Mix together the cocoa powder, milk powder and cinnamon. Sift over the chocolate mixture and mix together.
7. Gently stir in the sourdough starter until completely combined. Stir in the extra chocolate chips and/or 1/2 cup nuts if desired.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean from near the middle. Cool for about 20-30 minutes before removing from pan.
9. Carefully lift the whole brownie out with the parchment paper. Finish cooling completely on a wire rack. The cooler the brownie, the easier to handle.
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread #1
Make It Sourdough - Gluten-Free Soft Wraps, Waffles and Pancakes
.
Resources:
"How Do I Make Brownies With Shiny, Crackly Tops? - Good Questions."The Kitchn. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2014.<http://www.thekitchn.com/how-do-i-make-brownies-with-shiny-tops-180270>
"Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies - Chewy v. Cake-y." Out of the Ordinary. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2014.http://outoftheordinaryfood.com/2012/01/24/mexican-hot-chocolate-brownies-chewy-v-cake-y/
"Sourdough Bread: A Delicious Mix of Harmonious Microbes."Encyclopedia Britannica
Online.Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 27 July 2014
<http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2010/01/sourdough-bread-a-delicious-mix-of-harmonious-microbes/>
"Squash, Summer." Squash, Summer. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July <2014.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=62>
"What Every Baker Needs to Know About Sugar." FineCooking.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2014.
<http://www.finecooking.com/articles/how-sugar-affects-baking.aspx>
"Why Is Dark Chocolate Good for You? Thank Your Microbes." Scientific American Global RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 July 2014. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-dark-chocolate-good-for-you-thank-your-microbes/>
