Recipe: Sourdough Pancakes & Bread

I've been baking a lot of bread lately, and then I got the hankering for some sourdough. I made my own Sourdough starter with help from this web site (and I gave it a little boost with some baking yeast, don't tell anyone). If anyone wants a cup of my sourdough starter to grow their own, just let me know. I'm happy to share. Now I have two sourdough recipes to share with you.

Sourdough Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 c. sourdough starter
1 c. water
• • •
1-1/2 c. flour (I used half whole wheat, which has more wild yeasts in it)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 T. sugar
1 T. melted butter
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda (generous)
milk to reach desired consistency (1/4 c. more or less)

Directions:
1. The night before you want to make pancakes, remove 1 c. of starter and mix with 1 c. warm water and 1-1/2 c. flour. This is a great way to use up the starter that gets discarded while you're growing your starter.
2. In the morning, mix in egg, sugar, butter, salt, and baking soda. Add milk slowly until you reach desired consistency.
3. Fry on hot griddle. Devour with butter (and apricot syrup).


Alana's Sourdough French Loaf

Ingredients:
1-1/2 c. warm water
1/2 T. yeast*
1 T. honey
1/2 c. sourdough starter
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
2 T. gluten flour
2-1/2 c.+ bread flour
corn meal

Directions:
1. Mix warm water, yeast*, honey and starter in a bowl.
*you can omit yeast if you have 5-10 hours to let it rise--like overnight in the fridge.
2. Add whole wheat flour, salt and gluten flour.
3. Add bread flour to reach doughy consistency (amount depends on how thick your starter is).
4. Knead and form into a ball. Place in greased bowl in warm area and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
5. Punch down and knead again. Let rise again until doubled in bulk.
6. Punch down and form into long loaf, pinching seams together and place on greased baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Let rise. Cut slits across top. Place pan of water on bottom rack in oven. Place loaf in oven. Preheat to 375 degrees (while loaf is in oven) and bake 20 minutes.

Recipe: Rose's Rolls AKA Best Rolls Ever!

This recipe is treasured by my family. My mother's great friend, Linda Zuro, was known as one of the best bakers in my church congregation growing up. We all wanted her to make our desserts and rolls for any gathering. She didn't use recipes to bake--it was all in her head. She could tell by the consistency of the dough if it was right. My mom watched her make rolls once, and, being a home economist, my talented mother created this similar recipe--which is why I call them Rose's Rolls. Linda passed away in a tragic car accident in the Spring of 2006, so we are all so glad to have this almost-momento of her fantastic baking. Without further ado.... 

Rose's Rolls

2 c. warm water
2 T. active dry yeast (or 2 pkgs.)
1/2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 egg
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 t. salt
2 c. flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine water and yeast. Let proof 2 minutes. Add sugar, 3 c. flour, egg and oil. Stir with spoon until well mixed. Add salt, stir.

2. Add 2 c. flour. Stir as much as you can and then begin kneading in bowl. Once most of flour is incorporated, transfer dough to counter and knead until fairly smooth. Only knead 1-2 minutes or it will toughen the dough—it will be very moist. Clean the bowl, spray it with Pam, and return dough to bowl. Turn once to coat dough. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour in “summer day” oven. 

3. Punch down and split dough into halves. Roll halves into rectangle (6x20 inch rectangle or about 1/2 inch thick). With a pizza cutter, cut the dough crosswise in 3/4 inch strips, roll each strip in flour, and tie in knot, tucking ends underneath. Place on greased cookie sheet, leaving 1/2 inch between each roll. Let raise until nearly doubled in size again (you will see air pockets through the dough’s surface). 

Bake for 10-13 minutes at 380-400 degrees.

Cook’s Note: These rolls have been affectionately nicknamed “Mormon Rolls.” 

Cut dough in 1" strips.

Tie dough in knot and tuck ends under.

Dough should be very sticky. Like for reals.

Knotted rolls ready to raise.

Knotted rolls raised and ready for oven.

Rolls should be just barely golden.

The rolls should be barely touching.

This is the perfect color for Rose's Rolls.

Brush tops of rolls with butter.