By Cheryl Orr

Lately I have had many requests from friends for a little of my sourdough starter to use to
create their own starter for baking wonderful treats. The aroma of freshly baked bread is
indeed intoxicating, not to mention the flavor and texture of warm homemade bread from the oven.
This little bit of starter is actually discard that can grow into a nice supply of starter once it’s fed regularly with a mixture of flour and water, and sometimes a little sugar if it becomes too sour.
The mixture of flour and water for feeding should be the consistency of thick pancake batter
and stirred into the starter evenly. I like to leave my starter jar open for a few hours so capture the natural yeast and bacteria in the air.
Recently, I saw a post on social media for a recipe for discard cinnamon raisin bread that looked amazing. The post was from a friend, Lisa Roll, who is a fantastic potter whose work is displayed at many area art galleries and on Etsy. Lisa was happy to share her recipe so that all can try it!
This week, I have included Lisa’s recipe for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bread. As with all discard recipes, be sure to supplement the discarded starter with yeast. I also like to use a stand mixer with a dough hook to make the work even easier, but you can knead the dough by hand as well if you’d like. Lisa added, “See if you can wait for it to cool before ripping into it. I never have the patience. You can freeze a few slices, too. They toast up really well.”
Enjoy!

If you have a cooking question, contact me at cher.orr@gmail.com and I’d be happy to assist!

Lisa’s Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Makes one large loaf
INGREDIENTS 

• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar or honey
• 1/3 cup sourdough starter discard
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

PREPARATION

1. Soak raisins in warm water and set aside. In a large measuring cup mix together warm milk, warm water, yeast, brown sugar or honey, discard, egg, and melted butter. Let this sit for 10 minutes.
2. Then, in a large bowl mix together flour and salt. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Knead the dough for 5 minutes on a floured surface or use a mixer with a dough hook.
3. Drain the raisins and work them into the dough. Let the dough rise in a covered, greased bowl for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size. 
4. Meanwhile, mix together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. After the first rise, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and stretch it into a rectangle. Brush 2 tablespoons melted butter on the dough, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll up the dough, tucking the sides in and place into a greased loaf pan, seam side down. Cover and let rise for another hour. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Turn bread onto a rack to cool before slicing.

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Cheryl Orr is offering weekly Appy Hour at the Patisserie at Edenton Bay, as well as Supper Club and Cooking Classes that all can attend. She is currently completing her cookbook, and offering private cooking classes, small catering, and private chef dinners. See all on http://www.edentonepicurean.com