Saturday Eats - Sourdough Birthday Pancakes

What'cha making Mom?

Abby T. Lab here - we're celebrating Mom's 50 (mumble mumble)th birthday today.

Dad got her some nice gifts and a funny dog card!

MMM - Crawford's Biscuits - Mom LOVES those with her afternoon tea! (Mom's biological Mom was English, just like her adopted Dad).

The acrylic wine glasses are so when she has her bubble bath she can sip her Moonshine Chardonnay during her bath without risk of broken glass as she steps out of the tub. The last trip Dad made to the UK to his company's factory there, he brought home a bunch of bubbly bath stuff so she will look forward to that.

Dad picked out a pretty birthday nightie for her as well.

With some evening reading material (I know, Mom is weird with what she reads).

After the presents were opened, Dad was going to make her breakfast but Mom had a great surprise yesterday when after her wild yeast sourdough starter died a few months back (remove hat, look solemn), her next door neighbor brought her a fresh batch of sourdough starter to start feeding and walking (what, no walkies for the sourdough, just feeding?).  So after it enjoyed the warm sun porch for a bit, she fed it, then let it sit in the warm room a few more hours before making a "sponge" for breakfast pancakes before tucking the remaining starter in the refrigerator with a clean coffee filter as a bedtime cap.

Mom and Dad have the nicest neighbors, we are very blessed

This is regular sourdough starter (the wild yeast starter Mom had was nice but it was "persnickety", as my human Grandpa would say).  I think this batch will do very well, with just a feeding once or twice a week.

Here is a great tutorial if you want to start your own: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2017/02/06/easy-sourdough-starter/

The recipe came with the neighbor's gift of ready-to-go sourdough starter, the neighbor's kind wife writing down a couple of them.  Mom tweaked it just slightly to make enough for just two people and adding just a bit more leavening (she likes her pancakes SUPER fluffy). She also put some notes in here for a Vegan version for Murphy and Stanley's Mom (because we know how much Carol likes to cook, bar har har) and Yam Aunty.

Soughdough Pancakes (or waffles)

Sourdough "sponge"  (make the night before).

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk (or nut milk for Vegan version)
1/2 cup sourdough starter

Mix in a non-metal bowl with a wooden spoon (sourdough does NOT like metal).  Cover with a clean dish towel and leave out overnight on the counter.

Click to enlarge photo, I double dog dare you.

In the morning mix in one little bowl:

1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 teaspoons sugar

Into the sourdough sponge, whisk with a wooden spoon:

1 egg 
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil. 

Note:  you can make a Vegan egg replacer with: 

1 Tablespoon ground flax or chia seed (measure after grinding)

3 Tablespoons water

Mix vigorously and let sit 10 minutes and mix in like you would one regular egg.

Mix dry ingredients into the sponge bowl (not to be confused with SpongeBob) with a wooden spoon. Cook pancakes on a preheated and oiled griddle (or in your waffle iron per manufacturer's directions.)

Yummy!

Happy Birthday, Mom - now can I have a pancake to go with that treat?