Hey Reader!

It has been cold. Proper winter cold. And I was down with a bug for most of the past weekend, so there hasn’t been a ton of baking happening over here.

I’m mostly better now, but I am officially over winter.

That said, love is in the air, and Valentine’s is around the corner, so I pulled together a few recipes that feel just right for the week. A little chocolate. A little indulgence. Still very much bread.

If you’re baking something for someone you love, or just for yourself, I’ve got you covered.

In this week's newsletter, you will find:

The Art of Dough: Croissants to Cabernet 🇫🇷
100% Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough (A New Blog Recipe) 🍞
Milk Chocolate, Sour Cherry & Roasted Hazelnut Sourdough 🍒🍫
The Fudgiest Sourdough Brownies 🍫
This week in the micro bakery 🕺 Juniper Bakes Cinnamon Buns 👧

The Art of Dough: Croissants to Cabernet 🇫🇷

I am so excited about this.

Next June, I’m heading to France with The Gourmet Vacation for a week of baking, wine, and behind-the-scenes culinary access that honestly still feels surreal to type. We start in Paris. Early morning croissants, markets, patisseries, and long dinners that stretch late into the night.

Then we head to the Loire Valley. Vineyards. A private château. Michelin-level meals. Private tastings. Real access.

The centrepiece is a two-day masterclass with Alexandre Laumain, MOF World Champion 2023, at the Foricher flour mill. Hands in dough. Folding, shaping, learning at the source.

It’s limited to just 20 guests, and there are still spaces available. If you’ve ever wanted to bake in France, drink wine where it’s grown, and experience the craft at the highest level in an intimate setting, this is it.

And since it’s Valentine’s season… I’m just saying. This would be the ultimate gift. Ask your Valentine. Give them the puppy dog eyes. 🥐🍷

👉 Join Us in France – June 14–21, 2026

100% Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough (A New Blog Recipe) 🍞

I was homesick all weekend, and while I didn't do much bakin,g I was able to finalize and publish a new 100% whole grain einkorn sourdough recipe on my blog.

This one is simple by design. It’s a pan-baked loaf mixed more like a batter no kneading, no shaping, no tension-building. Just mix, ferment, pour into the pan, and bake.

This is the kind of bread I like to have on the table during the week. Straightforward. Reliable. Good for toast, sandwiches, and everyday eating.

And thank you to everyone who offered to help test it. I ended up finishing the formula before hearing back, but I genuinely appreciate the willingness. That kind of support means a lot.

If you’ve been curious about baking with einkorn, this is a very approachable place to start.

👉 Bake the 100% Einkorn Sourdough

Milk Chocolate, Sour Cherry & Roasted Hazelnut Sourdough 🍒🍫

If you’re baking something special this week, make it this. This loaf is rich but balanced roasted hazelnuts for depth, tangy dried cherries for contrast, and chunks of creamy milk chocolate folded into a soft chocolate sourdough.

It’s not sweet like cake. It’s still bread. But it leans indulgent in all the right ways. The cherries cut through the chocolate. The hazelnuts add crunch. The crumb stays tender and aromatic from the cocoa.

It’s the kind of loaf that works for brunch, gifting, or slicing thick and eating slightly warm with coffee. If you want something that feels bakery-level but still grounded in proper fermentation, this is it.

👉 Bake the Milk Chocolate, Sour Cherry & Roasted Hazelnut Sourdough

The Fudgiest Sourdough Brownies 🍫

If you want something guaranteed to impress this week, make these.

These sourdough brownies are rich, deeply chocolatey, and properly fudgy in the centre with that crackly top everyone hopes for. The sourdough discard adds subtle depth and keeps the texture beautifully soft. A small portion of rye flour gives them structure and just enough earthiness to balance the sweetness.

They are simple to make and consistently good. Melted chocolate and butter, a proper ribbon stage on the eggs and sugar, then gentle folding. That is it.

One more reason I love this recipe? They freeze exceptionally well. Make a double batch, bake, cool completely, slice, and freeze. You can pull one out anytime you want something chocolatey without turning the oven on again.

If you have sourdough discard in the fridge and want a low-effort win, this is the move.

👉 Bake the Fudgy Sourdough Brownies

This week in the micro bakery 🕺 Juniper Bakes Cinnamon Buns 👧

There wasn’t one. I was sick. Mostly better now, but the oven stayed off, well kind of...

My daughter stayed home from school with me because she wasn’t feeling great, and she was furious about missing class. Truly furious. So she decided to rage bake cinnamon buns from Sally’s Baking 101.