These simple to make sourdough ginger stars are a cross between a bun or roll and a cookie, and they are quite good! The stars have a slight sourdough tang that amplifies the flavors of the sweet spices in the dough. Nonetheless, the stars are barely sweet, and they get what sweetness they do have from the spices and from small amounts of applesauce, molasses, and date puree (it's easy--see below). With white whole-wheat and almond flour in the dough, the stars have a slight nutty flavor as well as extra nutrition. In small quantities, the nutrient-, fiber-, and protein-rich stars are fine in most diabetic diets. The stars also are good for people who prefer something healthier and don't want the sugar highs of traditional sweet buns or cookies. The treats are unusual and make a nice, different addition to holiday platters. Try the stars drizzled with white or dark chocolate or with the simple dip below for something special. I like the stars best plain for breakfast or a snack (sometimes with cheese) alongside a cup of tea or coffee. Although I include a little candied ginger in the stars for extra zing, you can leave the ginger out (it does have refined sugar in/on it) or replace the candied ginger with golden raisins if you prefer. Enjoy!
Sourdough Ginger Stars -- Makes 18+
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup of canola oil
2 tablespoons of molasses
1 large egg
1/3 cup of date puree/paste (cover 1/4 cup of pitted dates with boiling water--just
enough water to cover the dates, let the dates/water sit 10 minutes, then mash the
date/water mixture well--you have date puree/paste!)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of almond flour or finely ground almonds
2 cups of white whole-wheat flour (or use regular whole-wheat flour, but your stars will
be heavier/denser), divided
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon of allspice
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 cup of finely chopped candied ginger or golden raisins (optional)
Raisins (optional)
Melted white or dark chocolate (optional)
In a large bowl, mix the starter, applesauce, oil, molasses, egg, date paste, and vanilla well. Add the almond flour, one cup of the white whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices to the mixture and stir until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the wet ingredients. Stir in the candied ginger or raisins, if you're using them. Loosely cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit for at least an hour. I routinely let my mixture sit for 3-4 hours to let the flavors develop (and because I have other things to do). When you're ready, add to the mixture:
1/2 cup more of the white whole wheat flour
Stir, then knead the 1/2 cup of white whole-wheat flour into the mixture. It's easiest to begin stirring in the flour, then to dump the mixture onto the counter to better incorporate the flour and knead the dough. You'll need to knead in about 1/2 cup of additional flour to prevent the dough from being too sticky to work. On a well-floured counter, roll/pat out the dough to about 1/2-inch thick and cut the dough with star-shaped cookie cutters. You can re-roll the dough scraps to cut out more stars. Place the dough stars onto baking parchment, spacing the stars a couple of inches apart. Spritz the stars with cooking spray and, if you like, place a raisin in the center of each star. Let the stars sit for about 30 minutes. They'll puff a bit (but not a lot) as they sit. Bake the starts at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until set and barely browned. You can also air fry the stars at 320 degrees for about 10 minutes. Let the stars cool and drizzle them with white or dark melted chocolate, if you like. Or try the stars with the simple dip below.
Star Dip
4 ounces of softened light cream cheese (neufchatel)
1/2 cup of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
2-3 tablespoons of orange juice (depending on the consistency you like for your dip)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
In a medium bowl whisk all the ingredients together until well blended. Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to a mini food processor/chopper and process them until they are smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and use it as a dip for the stars.
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