Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Overnight Sourdough Pancakes {+ my first cooking class}

So a couple of weeks ago I went to my very first cooking class! It was in our local kitchen shop and was a great experience! Our instructor, Sue, was very relaxed and methodical, taking time to demonstrate proper technique and answer any questions- and there were many! We not only learned how to bake sourdough bread in the form of sliders and buns, but also got a lesson on how to feed and maintain our very own sourdough starter! I really enjoy sourdough bread, so was excited to get to take home my own sourdough "baby"- and feed it and watch it grow!


Sue informed us that sourdough is infinitely variable- the yeast takes on different flavors depending on the air where you live! So while the sourdough in San Fran is quite sour, ours here in the NW may not be. Rather it will be a very flavorful artisan bread. In the class, we made farmstead sourdough buns (which I'd love to recreate) and they were delicious! Fluffy, soft and- while not particularly sour- bursting with flavor.




After tending and feeding my starter for a little over a week, I decided to try one of the recipes we were sent home with- sourdough pancakes!

Rule of thumb- don't deplete your store of starter! You want to have at least half a cup left to continue to feed!

The pancakes are fantastic! The sourdough gives them a hearty, yeasty flavor and a light, airy texture. They are relatively easy to prepare, too, because you prep the starter the night before (unless you want to have them for dinner, in that case you could prep it in the morning).



If you don't have your own starter, but would like to, check your local kitchen shop or order it online! Your starter should come with instructions on how to reconstitute and care for your starter.


Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
makes about 2 dozen pancakes

1 c. sourdough starter
2 c. warm water
3 1/2 c. flour
3 eggs
4 TB sugar, maple syrup, or honey
1/4 c. oil or melted butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

The night before you want to eat, combine in a large bowl the starter, water, and flour (make sure it has plenty of room to rise). Cover.
In the morning, add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Add more water if thinner pancakes are desired.
Heat a large pan over medium/high heat and grease with oil or butter. Spoon about 1/4 c. of batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook 1-2 min. per side, or until golden. Keep hot in a warm oven while repeating with the rest of the batter if desired. 
Serve with butter and syrup, berries, or other desired toppings.

4 comments:

  1. I'm so happy you had fun with the class! You have one more right? The pancakes look really good!

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    Replies
    1. Yep- next Monday will be the croissant class in Spokane! Really excited!

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  2. By starter, do you mean the "mother or chef", or do you mean the starter that you prepare before you make your recipe. Sorry if I sound confused but I'm new to sourdough and am out of my depth.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Jeanette! I'm not sure what you mean by "mother or chef", but a starter is the base of all sourdough recipes, a fermenting yeast and flour mixture. If you don't have your own, as I said in the post, you can purchase it at a kitchen store or online and begin feeding it so you'll always have some on hand at home! Hope that helps.

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