Classic Caggs

This is a super-simple loaf to make when you don't want to wait hours for it to prove. I love the pink-hue you get from adding beetroot to this loaf. It is a good loaf to make to use up the dregs of bags of flour.  Beetroot soda bread Makes 1 loaf 300g beetroot (I used vacuum packed) 1 tsp fennel seeds 100ml plain full-fat yogurt 400g flour (I used 300g plain white and 100g wholemeal flour) 1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp baking powder 50g seeds (I used sesame) Preheat the oven to 220C. Puree the beetroot with the fennel and yogurt in a food processor until smooth. Mix the flour with the sea salt, baking powder and seeds. Fold the liquid beetroot mixture through this. As it comes together you can form into a ball with your hands but do not work too much or the finished loaf will be tough. Scatter some flour on a baking tray and place your ball of dough on top. You can add some more seeds to the top. Dust with flour and cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf. Bake fo

Since having our sourdough starter (Dough Exotic) we have had to be creative about how we use the discard. This recipe is based on The Boy Who Bakes banana and chocolate recipe; we didn't have any over-ripe bananas so used an extra egg.  Sourdough discard blueberry and chocolate cupcakes Makes 20 cupcakes 200g sourdough discard 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs 150g softened unsalted butter 185g granulated sugar 150g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp table salt 125g blueberries 125g dark chocolate, roughly chopped into chunks Preheat the oven to 180C and l ine muffin tin with cake cases. Stir the sourdough discard, vanilla extract and eggs.  In a separate bowl whisk the softened butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add this to the sourdough bowl. Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir through the blueberries and dark chocolate. Spoon into the cupcake cases and bake in the preheated over for 22 minutes.