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The creative baker · Advanced

Flavor, inclusions & discard

Develop small, thoughtful variations and a simple discard pancake formula.

Lesson 3 of 4

A purpose for mature discard

Discard is an ingredient to account for, not a magic addition to any batter.

Ingredients for this learning path

  • A familiar base bread formula
  • Nuts, seeds, herbs or dried fruit
  • Mature healthy 100%-hydration discard
  • Flour, egg, milk, butter, sugar and baking powder for pancakes

Equipment

  • Scale
  • Mixing bowl
  • Griddle
  • Notebook

The lesson

  1. Use discard only from an established healthy starter; do not use the first days of a new culture. Discard anything with mold or unusual discoloration.
  2. A 100%-hydration discard contributes half its weight as flour and half as water. A stiff discard contributes different proportions.
  3. For pancakes, whisk 100 g liquid discard, 100 g flour, 120 g milk, one egg, 15 g melted butter, 15 g sugar, 5 g baking powder and 2 g salt. Mix just until combined.
  4. Cook small portions on a lightly greased medium griddle until bubbles form and edges set; flip and finish until cooked through. Adjust heat if the surface browns too quickly.

The baker’s note

This is a small practice formula, not the retail dry pancake mix recipe. Do not eat raw batter.

Practice

Make the formula once and note the batter thickness and griddle heat.

Technique lessons may require a separate complete formula. Read the full path before mixing.

LESSON 3 OF 4 · 7 min read

A purpose for mature discard

Discard is an ingredient to account for, not a magic addition to any batter.

Go to guided practice & lesson check

Let’s work through it

  1. Use discard only from an established healthy starter; do not use the first days of a new culture. Discard anything with mold or unusual discoloration.
  2. A 100%-hydration discard contributes half its weight as flour and half as water. A stiff discard contributes different proportions.
  3. For pancakes, whisk 100 g liquid discard, 100 g flour, 120 g milk, one egg, 15 g melted butter, 15 g sugar, 5 g baking powder and 2 g salt. Mix just until combined.
  4. Cook small portions on a lightly greased medium griddle until bubbles form and edges set; flip and finish until cooked through. Adjust heat if the surface browns too quickly.

LEARN IT. TRY IT. MAKE IT YOURS.

Your practice bench

Read the whole lesson first, then work at your own pace. Check a step when you’ve practiced or reviewed it.

0 of 4 steps

STEP 1 OF 4

Use discard only from an established healthy starter; do not use the first days of a new culture. Discard anything with mold or unusual discoloration.

MAKE THE BAKER’S CALL

100 g of 100%-hydration discard contributes…

TAKE IT TO YOUR OWN KITCHEN

Your next small experiment

Make the formula once and note the batter thickness and griddle heat.

Record what happened in my journal
How do you feel about this skill?

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Make it part of your practice

Make the formula once and note the batter thickness and griddle heat.

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YOUR BAKING JOURNAL

Remember what the dough taught you.

Record your temperatures, timing, observations and one thing to try next.

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