Sourdough crumpets

So you're making a lot of sourdough? Here's a great way to use up the discard. Crumpets are small griddle breads that are dense and chewy and full of bubbles from the leavening effect of baking soda. They’re typically made with flour and warm water, but this recipe uses sourdough discard instead. If you’re planning to make these, just accumulate a few days’ worth of discard in the refrigerator.

Crumpets made with sourdough discard. Credit: Hardie Grant Books / Maureen Evans

• makes

  8

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 520 g sourdough discard (100% if measuring using Baker’s %) (See Note)
• 6 g salt (1.1%)
• 7 g bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) (1.3%)
• 8 g sugar (1.5%)
• About 3 tbsp cold butter (for greasing the ring moulds and melting in the skillet)

You will need ring moulds ( 7.5 cm / 3 in wide and 4.5 cm / 2 in high) for this recipe.

Instructions

1. Mix the dough: In a bowl, combine all the dough ingredients.
2. Cook the crumpets: Working in batches, coat the insides of the ring moulds with butter and melt a tablespoon of it in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When it foams and subsides, set the ring moulds down in the skillet and fill them each about half to two-thirds full with dough.
3. Let the crumpets cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until bubbles appear at the top. Slip the spatula under one of the rings and quickly and decisively turn it. Cook on the second side for 1 minute. Keep a close eye on the heat; cast-iron pans get very hot and the crumpets can easily burn. Continue to add small amounts of butter to the pan between batches.
4. Remove the rings from the pan and carefully dislodge the crumpets. Repeat with remaining batter. Toast them whole, if desired, or serve hot from the pan, with butter.

Note

• This very English recipe actually comes from a Frenchie, my great friend and total legend Cannelle Deslandes. She worked with me at Hart and I love her. Cannelle designed these crumpets, which are perfect, and she has kindly let me share her recipe here.
• The Richard Hart Bread book includes several different sourdough starter recipes. You can find his rye starter recipe online here.

This is an edited extract from Richard Hart Bread by Richard Hart and Laurie Woolever. (Hardie Grant Books). Photography by Maureen Evans.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.