Sourdough Peach Kuchen

It's Peach Season in West Virginia. Following a recipe from Beets & Bones, I made this whole grain kuchen with my sourdough rye starter, spelt and Kamut flours.

This was the first photo I posted on the Wild Sourdough For Science Facebook page. Here you can learn how to make a starter, share results with others and explore a wealth of recipes. The group is affiliated with Dr. Erin McKenney at North Carolina State, where she's formed a state wide study of sourdough cultures conducted by middle school students. The students measure the pH of the starter and height over time. They describe the smell (does it smell like a fart, or is it nutty or moldy?) They do experiments with petri dishes to determine bacteria and yeast produced by different flours. There is a toolkit for teachers.  

Why so much interest in sourdough? There are health benefits. It is a pre-biotic with B & K vitamins. It reduces gluten sensitivity (No gluten is safe in persons with Celiac disease). It  reduces the glycemic index. The yeast produced by the sourdough culture makes bread rise without the addition of a commercial product.

Here's what I made starting with Valerie's recipe from Beets & Bones. 

Sourdough Peach Kuchen

(Serves 16)

Mix starter and buttermilk.
1/2 cup rye sourdough starter
1 cup buttermilk

Add egg, sugar, salt, zest and vanilla. Mix well.
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add flours and mix into wet ingredients.
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup Kamut flour

Using a box grater, grate butter into bowl with all ingredients. Stir into mixture.
4 tablespoon buttery stick

Cover and rest for 6-8 hours.

Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. (I used 1-9 inch spring-form pan and 2-4 1/2 inch tart pans). Grease sides of pans with olive oil spray.

Peel and dice peaches. Combine with sugar.
4 large peaches, peeled and diced
2 tablespoon sugar
Arrange in bottom of tart pans.

Spoon and smooth dough batter over peaches.
Cover and allow to rest for 2 hours.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until top browns.

Cool in pan on rack. Invert onto platter or into storage container. Remove parchment paper.

Since my kuchen would be eaten over several days, I stored it in the refrigerator. To serve, I cut a slice of kuchen and baked it in the toaster oven for 10 minutes. It is a little doughy on the peach side and the heating brings out the flavor. Mine is served with plain yogurt and a sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar. I enjoy this with a glass of milk at breakfast.