Sourdough Discard Crepes Recipe | Kiersten Hickman (2024)

FAQs

Can I use sourdough discard instead of starter? ›

Can sourdough discard be used as starter? While sourdough discard can't replace an active starter in a recipe that relies on a robust leavening agent, it can be revitalized and used to create a new starter.

The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter. You might see sourdough starter discard as waste—after all, you probably compost or toss it more often than not.

What to do with sourdough discard? Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

Sourdough discard refers to the excess starter that remains after it doubles in size and begins to fall back down. This term can be deceiving though as “discard” doesn't mean it's unusable or wasted. A better way to think of it is as leftovers.

Sourdough discard is rich in probiotics, which can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and improve digestion. It's also a good source of fiber, which can help regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and promote feelings of fullness.

I prefer to use my discard within 7 days of keeping it in the fridge, otherwise, you risk too much sour flavor! To use sourdough discard that's been stored in the fridge, place it on the counter to warm up for 2-3 hours before using.

No, regular sourdough bread is not gluten-free.

While the natural bacteria may make it easier to digest, and the fermentation process decreases the amount of gluten, it still does not reach 20ppm (parts per million) or less of gluten, which is how the United States defines gluten-free foods.

And this can be essential if you maintain a smaller sourdough starter or your recipe requires a large preferment. Further, using a levain means I can maintain a smaller sourdough starter to reduce flour use, and then in one step, I can build up my preferment to cover larger recipes or make multiple recipes.

Can you leave levain too long? Just like a regular starter, if you leave the levain too long, it will peak and start to come back down. You can to use it at the peak. Depending on the ambient temperature of your home, you can leave your levain to rise from anywhere between 8-16 hours.

If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.

Can I use starter that has fallen? ›

If your starter is well past peak (a few hours) and visibly falling, you can give it a “refresh” feeding to reactivate it.

Yes you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, you don't need to let it come to room temperature if you don't want to. What is this?

Here's the thing: most bakers use sourdough discard right away. But if life happens, explore the following options below and see what works best for you. In the Fridge: Some bakers collect and save their sourdough discard overtime in the fridge.

I recommend keeping sourdough discard for about one week, but I do know others who keep it for much longer. After one week, there is a higher risk of mold or bad bacteria growing on the discard.

Can you freeze sourdough starter discard? While feeding an active starter is a better idea, freezing discard will also work. I would suggest freezing discard that has been more recently fed, it may take longer for the starter to become thriving and active after thawing.

Generally, you can substitute a packet of yeast for 100g of sourdough starter. If your recipe uses less than a packet of yeast, you can use less sourdough starter, however it won't make too much difference because of the way wild yeast works.

Instead of throwing away (or composting) your excess sourdough starter during the feeding process, bake with it! Unlock the power of sourdough discard to both enhance your bakes with a subtle tang and make the most of those leftovers.