What is Sourdough Discard And How To Make Desserts With It: New Sweet Recipe Ideas

Most people were able to test their baking skills during the pandemic, and there was no looking back after that. Sourdough was all the rage online, because you don’t need store bought yeast, and you can make the bread starter at home. Now when it comes to sourdough elements, you’ll have a sourdough starter and a discard.

What Is A Sourdough Discard?

A sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water fermented to encourage the production of wild yeast and lactobacilli bacteria. The fermentation creates carbon dioxide that helps the bread rise. A sourdough starter needs to be regularly fed with fresh flour and water, to keep the yeast and bacteria active. Sourdough discard is the portion of the starter that is removed and discarded during the feeding process, when a new portion of flour and water is added. Discard doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be dumped in a dustbin.

You can use it up in delish dessert recipes, like the ones below:

Sourdough Discard Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 125 gm flour
• 275 gm sourdough discard
• 300 gm sugar
• 40 gm Cadbury Cocoa Powder
• 240 ml oil
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 eggs

For the icing:

• 60 gm room temperature butter
• 2 tbsp Cadbury Cocoa Powder
• 3 tbsp milk
• 225 gm powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• For this different take on a classic chocolate sponge cake recipe, preheat the oven at 180°C and grease a cake tin or a Bundt pan with some room temperature butter.
• Combine the sourdough discard, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Mix well.
• In another bowl, sift the flour, salt, Cadbury Cocoa Powder, and baking soda.
• Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ones.
• Pour the batter into the greased cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes
.
• Let the cake come down to room temperature.
• In the meantime, create the chocolate icing by beating room temperature butter with cocoa powder, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. You can make this icing as thin or as thick as you’d like.
• Cover the cake with the chocolate icing and let it set. You can decorate the cake with some chocolate shavings, or sprinkles.

Sourdough Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 240 gm flour
• 227 gm sourdough discard
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 454 gm buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 50 g oil
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

• Take about 227 gm of the sourdough discard, which is about a cup.
• Add this to a large bowl and combine sugar, buttermilk, and flour to this.
• Cover the bowl with cling film or a lid and let it sit in a cool corner of your house overnight.
• The next day mix the oil and eggs together, then add the overnight sourdough discard.
• Also add salt and baking soda to this. Mix until well combined.
• Heat a skillet and grease it with butter then make pancakes of desired size. You can also use this batter to make waffles.
• Enjoy the pancakes or waffles with some maple syrup, butter, and fresh fruit.

Sourdough Discard Cookies

Ingredients:

• 234 gm flour
• 100 gm sugar
• 143 gm dark brown sugar
• 100 gm sourdough discard
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 184 gm room temperature, unsalted butter
• 284 gm chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• First, mix all the dry ingredients and set them aside.
• Then mix all the wet ingredients including the sourdough discard. Ensure there are no lumps, but try not to overmix.
• Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Use a spatula instead of a whisk.
• Finally, add the chocolate chips, and place the cookie dough in the fridge for a couple of hours to chill.
• As the cookie dough chills, preheat the oven to 177°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• The cookie dough should yield 20 pieces, so you may have to use two baking sheets or bake in batches if you have a small oven.
• Scoop out the cookie dough onto the baking tray using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon.
• Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.