Hey Reader!

First, I’ve had a ton of new subscribers lately. Welcome. I’m really glad you’re here. I wanted to do a proper overview of who I am and what you can expect from this newsletter… but it’s late, I worked today, and that deserves its own space. I’ll do that next week.

In the meantime, if you’re new and want to catch up, you can browse all of my past newsletters here:

​ 👉 View Previous Newsletters​

Second, I forgot to add the links to the brownie recipe and the other bread recipe in last week’s email. That one’s on me.

Here they are:

​Sourdough Brownies​
​Chocolate Sourdough​

I run the blog, write the newsletter, develop the recipes, and create most of the content myself. It’s mostly a one-man show over here, with a big shoutout to my video editor, Eddie. So yes, occasionally things slip through.

If you ever catch something missing or broken, let me know. I always want to fix it.

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Einkorn Questions, Experimenting & Getting Better ❓

I posted the einkorn recipe last week, and the response has been incredible. I also received at least 200 questions about it.

First, I genuinely love that. I try my best to answer as many as I can because I want you to succeed. But it made me think. When I develop a recipe, it takes repetition, practice, mistakes, and adjustments. That’s part of the craft.

Some of the questions I received were:

• Can I add inclusions?
• Can I use a regular starter?
• Can I put it in the fridge and bake later?
• Can I use a different size pan?
• Can I use sifted wheat?
• Can I change the salt amount?
• Can I use _____ grain instead of Einkorn?

And often, the honest answer is: try it and see.

I’m not saying stop asking questions. Please don’t. But don’t be afraid to experiment. Don’t be afraid to fail. You will learn more from the loaves that don’t turn out than the ones that do.

The only reason I’m a good baker is that I’ve made every mistake you can imagine. Many of them more than once. Bread is forgiving. It’s one of the best teachers you’ll ever have. Let yourself practice.

👉 Experiment with Einkorn

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Rye & Dark Chocolate Sourdough Mudslide Cookies 🍪

I baked these at work this week, and they disappeared fast.

They’re the Sourdough Mudslide Cookies from my book, made with whole grain rye and dark chocolate. Rich, slightly chewy, deeply chocolatey, but balanced. The rye gives them structure and a subtle earthiness that keeps them from being overly sweet.

They’re also surprisingly easy to make. No complicated shaping. No long fermentation schedule. Just mix, scoop, bake. This recipe has become one of my quiet favourites. It feels elevated but still approachable.

And it still feels a bit wild to say this, but the book has been out just over six months now and became a national bestseller. That part still hasn’t really sunk in. If you don’t have it yet, the Mudslide Cookies alone might justify it.

Grab my Book 📕

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Oat Porridge Sourdough (Endless Variations) 🥣

I baked an oat porridge with honey and butter sourdough this week, and it reminded me how much I love this bread. It always sells out.

This time, I skipped browning the butter because I was being slightly lazy. Still fantastic. But if you take the extra step and brown it, the flavour goes deeper and nuttier.

What I love most about this formula is how adaptable it is. Change the porridge and you change the bread.

Oat porridge. Rye porridge. Spelt. Barley. Multigrain blends. Even seed-heavy versions. The base structure stays strong. The personality shifts.

I haven’t published it on the blog, but the full recipe is in my book. And I also have an older video walking through the process step by step. It’s a classic.

If you want to start experimenting with porridge breads, this is the one.

👉 Watch the Porridge Sourdough Video

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Pancake Tuesday (A Little Late, Still Worth It) 🥞

Growing up, I always remember my dad making pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. I never really knew it was coming, but somehow on that day, there was always a stack waiting. It stuck with me.

Traditionally, it was a way to use up rich ingredients before the change of season. Flour, eggs, milk, butter. Simple things turned into something comforting.

We made a giant stack this week, and they were exactly how I remember them. Light, tender, and meant to be eaten hot with butter melting into every layer.

Here’s my go-to sourdough pancake recipe. Simple, reliable, and perfect for a big stack.

👉 Grab the Pancakes Recipe

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This week in the micro bakery 🕺Cinnamon Buns That Work Cinnamon buns hit the micro bakery this week, and they reminded me why I love this formula. They’re soft, rich, and reliable. But the real win is the schedule. You can mix, bulk ferment, fill, roll, slice, then proof them almost fully and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake straight from the fridge. Perfect for early sales. Perfect for not waking up at 3 am. The recipe below makes one tray (I think I used a 10x14," but please use your judgment when making them): CINNAMON BUNS Dough 575 g (4 ¾ cups) bread or all-purpose flour 242 g (1 cup) warm milk 8 g (2 ¼ tsp / 1 packet) active dry yeast 63 g (1 large egg) 58 g (¼ cup) sugar 43 g (3 tbsp) soft butter 10 g (1 ¾ tsp) salt Mix milk and yeast. Add egg, sugar, butter. Add flour and salt. Mix 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and slightly firm. Let rise 90 minutes at room temperature until slightly puffy. Filling 200 g (1 cup) soft butter 225 g (1 1/3 cups) brown sugar 2 tbsp cinnamon Pinch salt Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread filling evenly. Roll tightly into a log. ​ Chill 30 to 60 minutes to firm. Slice into 12 buns. Proof 60 to 90 minutes until puffy. Bake at 425°F for 22 to 26 minutes until golden. Cream Cheese Frosting 226 g (8 oz) cream cheese 240 g (2 cups) icing sugar 1½ tbsp milk 2 tsp vanilla Pinch salt Mix until smooth and spread on warm buns. For the glaze you see in the picture, I kept it simple. Just icing sugar and milk, let out to a nice consistency. Sometimes simple wins but the cream cheese frosting is also epic so do whichever best suits you. If you’re running a micro bakery or just want warm buns without the morning stress, this schedule is worth trying.

Happy Baking,

MJD

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