Description
This article is from the collection of
recipes from the Sourdough Mailing List, by David Adams with
numerous contributions by others.
710a The American Slapjack
This country really did not have a homegrown cookbook until 1796
when Amelia Simmons had her modest work of 47 pages published.
Under the title American Cookery, it was first in offering
guidance to the use of such indigenous foods as corn and
potatoes. This humble compilation was likewise the first to make
mention of America's own pancake, the Slapjack. The recipe given
here faithfully reproduces this favorite of early American fare.
Unlike some griddlecake recipes, the American Slapjack
contains no chemical leaveners of any kind. Although they are not
bad in themselves, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda do lessen
slightly the flavor produced by the long maturing period of
Ambrosia Batter. American Slapjacks have the wonderful flavor of
an unrepressed, newly-fermented wild yeast. This is the pancake
for those who want the full rich flavor of sourdough in all its
glory and savor.
American Slapjacks require more time than most sourdough
hotcakes. In the early days this presented no problem because the
lady of the house was usually up well before the rest of the
family. Today, with our faster pace of living, these griddlecakes
might present difficulty if it's a quick breakfast you want. Try
making them on a Saturday or Sunday morning when you are not
rushed. Once the Ambrosia Batter has aged for 24 hours, American
Slapjacks require about an hour to re-ferment after they are mixed.
1 recipe Ambrosia Batter 1/4 cup honey
1 egg 1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons melted butter 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix the egg, milk, honey, butter and salt in a two-quart bowl. Add
the Ambrosia Batter and beat rapidly for about one minute to mix
and aerate the batter. Cover and set aside in a very warm place
(85 to 110) for 45 to 90 minutes. This will cause the batter to
ferment again and become light and bubbly. After the
refermentation period, move the batter very carefully to the
griddle so as to avoid knocking out any of the leavening gas.
Ladle carefully and fry on a lightly greased griddle. Makes about
40 dollar-sized hotcakes, enough for 3 or 4.
The secret of successfully bringing this recipe to flavorsome
perfection is finding a spot warm enough to re-ferment the batter
rapidly. Provided that it is not above 120, an oven on a setting
of WARM is the ideal place. Remember to ladle the batter with
great care once it has become foamy. The presence of the gas
bubbles is what makes the pancakes light. When directions are
followed carefully, American Slapjacks are the lightest of all the
sourdough griddlecakes and have the best sourdough flavor.
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food, recipe, sourdough, starter, bread, pancake, muffin, bagel, rye
