53 leaven recipes

Homemade naan with a yogurt-leavened dough, no yeast required. Cooked on a cast-iron skillet then finished under the broiler for charred spots and puffed bubbles. Makes 9 pieces.

Traditional German rye sourdough starter (Sauerteig): a three-phase rye flour and water leaven built over 3 days for authentic German rye bread baking. Maintainable and long-keeping.

Whole wheat bread baked in the bread machine with applesauce for moisture and instant potato flakes for tenderness. A soft, high-fiber loaf with no added fat or oil.

Himmel und Erde (Heaven and Earth) layers German blood sausage with sweet apple compote, mashed potatoes, and fried onions. A traditional Rhineland comfort dish.

Vegetarian penne pasta with fresh Roma tomato sauce, broccoli, zucchini, sugar snap peas, carrots, and Parmesan. A colorful one-pot weeknight dinner.

Double cappuccino heaven is a mocha angel food cake bursting with espresso and cocoa, finished with a fluffy marshmallow frosting. Fat-free, light as a cloud, and rich in coffee flavor.

Heavenly cream cake built from a store-bought angel food cake split into three layers, filled with vanilla pudding, and draped in a quick homemade chocolate sauce that pools on the plate.

Baked apples and pears layered with buttered cake and topped with a peaked meringue. A classic British fruit dessert with warm spice and lemon.

Green peppercorn bread: a rustic German rye and wheat sourdough flavored with green peppercorns soaked in apple juice. Earthy, fragrant, faintly peppery, made the traditional leavened way.

Soft chocolate oatmeal cookies made with cocoa, yogurt, and chocolate extract instead of butter. Low-fat, slightly puffy, and rich in chocolate flavor without the guilt.

Frozen angel food cake layered with frozen yogurt and frosted in whipped topping, then garnished with fresh fruit. A light, easy ice-cream-style cake you can customize to any yogurt flavor.

Chocolate banana creme log with sliced banana layered with sweetened ricotta, drizzled with chocolate syrup, and topped with shredded coconut. A no-bake single-serving dessert in 10 minutes.

Homemade naan bread: whole-wheat flatbread leavened with yogurt and yeast, shaped into teardrops, and grilled with a brush of ghee for smoky char. No tandoor required.

Classic 12-egg-white angel food cake recipe. Cloud-light fat-free cake leavened entirely by stiff-peaked whites, with vanilla and almond extract for a tender crumb that's all air, sugar, and structure.

Classic British raisin scones with cream of tartar leavening, plump raisins, and a tender crumb. A 45-minute breakfast or tea-time bake that's ready before the kettle boils.

Yeast-leavened whole wheat waffles use rising time instead of baking powder for crisp, deeply tangy waffles. No eggs, no oil, just whole wheat pastry flour, bran, molasses, and yeast.