REZEPT: Sourdough Miso Cookies

Cookies were never really her thing. Too sweet, too soft, usually too much of everything. Somehow not worth it.Until the Calienna concept store in Vienna was searching for the perfect cookie in their café and Bernadette started baking with old bread.

Gradually, ingredients were added and removed. Lots of cookies were shaped and baked, and suddenly everyone loved them.

Stale bread, leftover sourdough, brown butter, tahini, a hint of bread miso – old became new, and a handshake turned into kisses on both cheeks.

Bread miso adds a subtle umami warmth, while tahini grounds the flavor with depth. The butter becomes nutty, almost caramel-like, and the egg yolk and sourdough provide the perfect fudge character. The long resting time helps all the components to blend well and devel-
op even more flavor. On top, crispy stale bread crumbs not only add a crunchy
texture and a nice toasted aroma, but also help to reuse stale bread in a charming way.

INGREDIENTS FOR APPROX. 20 COOKIES

230 g butter
100 g granulated sugar
100 g powdered sugar
100 g muscovado or whole cane sugar
2 tsp finely grated zest of an
organic orange
1 tsp salt
2 eggs (M)
1 egg yolk (M)
Seeds from one vanilla bean
2 tsp bread miso  (alternatively: cashew miso

50 g leftover sourdough
1 tbsp tahini
240 g plain wheat flour
150 g whole grain rye flour
1/2 tsp cream of tartar baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
80 g stale bread crumbs
300 g dark chocolate (at least 65 % cocoa content)
100 g white sesame seeds for rolling
Fleur de sel for sprinkling

PREPARATION

Melt half of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, and allow it to brown. This prevents the whey from settling and losing flavor. When the butter begins to smell nutty, it is ready.

Place the remaining butter in a bowl with all the sugars and orange zest. Add the brown butter and stir everything with a wooden spoon until smooth. Now add the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla pulp, tahini, miso, and sourdough and stir until smooth. Sift the flours with the baking powder and baking soda and stir into the dough together with the stale breadcrumbs. Roughly chop the chocolate and fold into the cookie dough (setting aside about 15 small pieces to top the cookies). Cover the dough well and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 and up to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 170°C top/bottom heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Now shape the cookie dough into balls weighing approx. 70 g each. Put the sesame seeds in a bowl and roll the balls in them. Place them
on the baking sheet, leaving enough space between them. (My baking sheet usually fits 5 cookies at a time, which I arrange like the number 5 on a dice.) Finally, press one remaining piece of chocolate into the surface of each cookie ball. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, then leave to cool on the tray for at least 5 minutes. Remove from the tray together with the baking paper. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies. Sprinkle the finished cookies with fleur de sel.