Hi Caite, recipes like our sourdough crumpet recipe , which call for sourdough discard, can definitely be affected by the variable state that characerizes sourdough discard. Not only do sourdough starters come in different consistencies, but the starter itself changes drastically in consistency depending on how long ago it was fed. Starter discard that has been sitting in your refrigerator for a few weeks is likely to be much thinner in consistency, as well as more acidic, than starter that has been fed within the last 12-24 hours. Ideally, for this particular recipe, you would want to use discard that had been sitting in the refrigerator for up to a week or more, and has been maintained at 100% hydration (equal part water and flour by weight). In fact, I find that discard that has been in my refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks is even better for crumpets! 

That being said, your levain from the Vermont sourdough starter recipe should still have reacted with baking soda, so I'm wondering if maybe your baking soda is old? I would suggest trying again with fresh baking soda and also start storing some of your discard in the refrigerator for future attempts. 

I suspect the baker on the video has a stash of discard in his refrigerator to use for such purposes, even if he feeds his starter daily at room temperature. That kind of feeding routine generates a lot of discard, so unless you're baking with your starter daily, the "unfed" starter comes from putting it in the refrigerator and leaving it there for a few days or more. 

• Reply