No, it doesn't take all night to make the pancakes--only a few minutes. The "overnight" aspect means you mix up the batter, refrigerate it, then bake the pancakes the next morning. The batter will rise a little overnight in the refrigerator, assuming you have a fairly active starter. If you don't have an active starter yet (i.e., you're just starting out, feeding your starter frequently, and have a lot of discard), that's okay. Just stir two teaspoons of baking powder into the batter in the morning before you make the pancakes. The applesauce in the batter keeps the pancakes moist and sweetens the batter slightly. If you prefer more sweetness, you can use sweetened applesauce or add a bit of sugar to the batter. The pancakes are quite good--light and fluffy and yeasty. They are great with maple syrup and sausages for a traditional pancake breakfast. I like them topped with a little yogurt and fresh fruit--or more applesauce--for a lighter, less sweet version. Enjoy!
Overnight Sourdough Applesauce Pancakes -- Serves 4+
2 cups of sourdough starter/discard
2 large eggs
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/2 cup of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of no sugar added applesauce
1 cup of white whole-wheat or whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
In a large bowl whisk together well the starter/discard, eggs, oil, milk, vanilla, and applesauce. With a spoon stir in the flour and salt until completely incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter overnight. When you're ready to make the pancakes heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and spritz or brush the skillet with canola oil or olive oil (don't use non-stick cooking spray, because it will gradually ruin your non-stick pan! I know from experience.). Stir the batter. Drop 3-4 tablespoon portions of batter (the batter will be thick) on the hot skillet, using the back of a spoon or spatula to spread the batter out a little until the pancakes are about 1/4 - 1/2-inch thick. Let the pancakes cook a few minutes until the edges appear set and the middle of the pancakes develops a matte (not shiny) appearance. Flip the pancakes and cook them for a minute or two more or until done. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. The leftover pancakes will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for breakfasts later in the week.
