Crumpets
Soft, spongy yeasted crumpets cooked in rings on the hob until their tops are full of holes, ready to toast and soak up melting butter.
Method
- 1
Warm the milk and 150 ml water together until they feel just warm when you dip in a finger.
- 2
Mix both flours, the yeast and the sugar in a large bowl, then stir in the salt.
- 3
Pour in the warm liquid and beat hard with a wooden spoon or whisk for 3 to 4 minutes into a smooth, thick batter.
- 4
Cover and leave in a warm place until the batter has risen and is full of bubbles.
- 5
Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 2 tablespoons of warm water and beat it into the batter.
- 6
Cover again and leave until bubbly once more.
- 7
Grease a heavy frying pan and the insides of four 8 cm crumpet rings with oil, then set the pan over medium-low heat.
- 8
Place the rings in the pan and pour about 4 tablespoons of batter into each, to a depth of around 1.5 cm.
- 9
Cook gently until the surface is covered in holes and the top has just set and lost its shine.
- 10
Lift off the rings with a cloth, flip the crumpets and cook the tops briefly until pale golden.
- 11
Grease the rings again and cook the remaining batter the same way, lowering the heat if the bases brown too fast.
- 12
Cool on a wire rack, then toast and serve with plenty of butter.
Notes
- If the holes do not appear, the batter is too thick. Beat in a little warm water before the next batch.
- The heat is the other key. Too hot and the base burns before the holes form, too cool and the crumpets are flat and pale.
- Crumpets freeze well. Toast them straight from frozen.
Equipment
Large mixing bowl, Wooden spoon or whisk, Heavy frying pan or griddle, Four 8 cm crumpet rings, Palette knife, Wire rack