Start your sourdough bread journey here: Six approachable recipes from Mary Grace Quigley

I wrote each of these recipes with the same goal in mind: I want you to experience the joy and simplicity of baking bread.

This collection of sweet and savoury recipes using yeast and sourdough takes you on a bread-baking journey, building up your confidence in making delicious bread at home.

I call it a bread journey because working with yeast and sourdough is an experience.

Each loaf is different, and each time you bake you learn something new.

One of my favourite things about baking is being able to share delicious things with friends and family.

Each recipe is made with sharing in mind: I love to keep some for myself and give some away each time I bake.

Simple white sandwich bread

A fluffy, yeast-based sandwich loaf you can make with minimal effort.

The process from start to finish only takes a few hours, so you can make this loaf at short notice with ingredients you can easily find at the supermarket. 

How to make sourdough starter for the first time

Making a sourdough starter takes a little over a week, but only requires about five minutes work each day.

And once you've made your sourdough starter you can keep it alive and make bread with it indefinitely.

Simplified sourdough bread for beginners

Making sourdough bread is a slower process, but it's also quite hands-off.

You mix the dough in the evening, give it a few folds and then leave it on the counter overnight.

It'll be ready and waiting to be baked and enjoyed the next morning.

Simple sourdough discard crackers

Sourdough discard is the part of your sourdough starter that you don't use to make bread — but contrary to its name, you don't actually need to discard it.

These seeded crackers are my favourite way to use discard — they're crispy and salty, and perfect with a sliver of cheese for a late-afternoon snack.

Sourdough Swedish knots with chocolate and cinnamon

Similar to a cinnamon scroll — but arguably even more delicious — these knots use simple ingredients you probably already have at home (cocoa, cinnamon, butter, flour, sugar) to make something that looks professional and impressive.

My favourite part of making these (aside from eating them) is tying the knots: a fun and relaxing task.

German Easter bread (Osterbrot)

Don't be fooled by the name of this recipe — yes, this loaf is traditionally eaten at Easter-time in Germany, but I guarantee no-one will be disappointed if you make it year-round.

This sweet, sourdough-based bread is braided into a large plait.

It's perfect sliced up, shared with a large group of friends or family, and served with many cups of tea.