My very first sourdough pancakes
Yes, sourdough pancakes! See? I finally sacrificed Charlie II.
Just like the home-made pita bread I made last Sunday, this was my very fist attempt. But unlike the pita bread, I had no idea what sourdough pancakes should taste like, so I felt far more adventurous this time!
That was part of the reason why it took me some time to decide on which recipe to pick out of numerous sourdough pancake recipes on the net. I couldn't imagine the taste/texture from the amount of sugar or oil in the recipes. I mean, they call it "sourdough" so it should taste sour, but how much? And I was a little surprised to see so many recipes being associated with "Alaska." Is this pancake originally from Alaska or something? Anyway, I finally picked this one because it is said to be a signature recipe of a lovely bed and breakfast place, and it calls for powdered skim milk.
 So, as mentioned in the instruction, I did some preparation last night, right before going to bed. I took Charlie II out of the fridge and mixed 1/2 C of him with flour and warm water. (The recipe was downsized to half.) Then I covered the batter with a damp cloth and left it on the kitchen table overnight.
 This morning, many small bubbles appeared on the surface of the batter. Charlie II was alive! I prepared the batter following the instruction and cooked my first sourdough pancakes. It was fun to watch them being cooked.
Now, about the taste. It’s definitely ... mmm, what should I say... interesting. I think I will love sourdough pancakes but with some modifications to the recipe to suit my taste. The pancakes I made this morning were a little too sour with a slightly tangy aftertaste. Is this the way they are supposed to be or do you think something's wrong with my starter? Is Charlie II contaminated with some unwanted bacteria or something?? I hope not... (He has been in the fridge since the day I posted about him last time.)
After all, it was fun to try the pancakes I'd never ever tasted before. I’ll try a different recipe next time, but it should be after I finish eating all the 4 big leftover pancakes that I froze this morning.
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5 comments:
I think the immature sourdoughs are usually more acidic than ones which have gone through many generations of replenishment.
Naturally leavened breads usually aren't all that sour. But it's possible that the ratio of your culture to new sponge might have been high.
I think sourdough pancakes are suggested for immature sourdough cultures because such pancakes are forgiving. I used to make them sometimes but they were also pretty acidic. Personally, I don't mind that though, and anyway, it contrasts well with maple syrup.
Sara
Thanks for your kind comment. Well, sometimes I do a good job, and when it happens I do use words like “heavenly” or “excellent” or “yummy.” It was just a coincidence that B+ and C- came up one after another recently, but there will be some A++ entries, too, so stay tuned ;)
I don’t know enough about different blogging services or programs to be able to recommend one to someone. (But to me posting photos does seem to be easier with type pad --- I got enough with Picasa-Hello combination!) Also, I’m not sure but I think you can stay with blogger and get a free blog skin or template with more convenient sidebar features from websites offering such things. That’s about all I know. Sorry I can’t help much. Do ask around or look into forums...Hope you find the information you need.
AG
Oh I hope so. It was funny…today I re-heated and ate the ones I froze yesterday, and they didn’t taste as sour as yesterday! I loved them much better.
Jason
That’s another thing. The syrup. I didn’t eat my pancakes with real maple syrup but the cheap syrup sold at supermarkets. That’s why the sourness didn’t make a good harmony with the sweetness. Anyway, I’ll use a little less of the culture next time. Thanks for your info. :D
Hi glutton rabbit,
They were tasty, but just not exactly the way I like. I’ll try a different recipe next time and/or keep experimenting. I’m sure I’ll come up with my favorite recipe eventually.
I'm a Malaysian, and your sourdough pancakes reminds me of 'tose' available locally (and possibly India as well). It's a popular Malaysian Indian pancake and tastes sour, of course!
Hi amber amethryne,
Thanks for stopping by. It’s so interesting to find culinary similarities in different cultures/countries, isn’t it? :) I wonder if natural yeast here in Kochi is very different from that in Alaska or in Malaysia…
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