Crumpets
Crumpets are griddle/ skillet cooked leavened and spongy round breads which are an English tea-time favourite, but quite different from English muffins.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 tbsps sugar
- 1 1/2 tsps active dry yeast
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsps butter soft at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup water (if necessary)
- 1 tsp butter or oil to make the crumpets
Instructions
- Warm 1/4 cup of the 1 1/2 cups milk and dissolve the sugar and yeast it in it. Keep aside till the yeast bubbles/ proofs.
- Put the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in the remaining milk and butter. Then add the yeast mixture and stir well into a thick batter. Cover and allow to rise (should take about 45 minutes or so). The batter will now be bubbly and slightly thinner.
- If you feel the batter is too thick, add just enough water as necessary to thin the batter to required consistency. The batter should be slightly thicker than pancake batter and flow easily. Add the baking powder and stir well.
- Grease the ring moulds well. Take a non-stick skillet and heat the 1 tsp butter or oil over low to medium heat. Place 3 or 4 ring moulds (depending on the size of your skillet) in the skillet. Pour a small ladleful of batter into each (about 3/4" high) into each ring. Cover the skillet and allow the batter to cook. When done, the top of each crumpet should have a few holes and start to look dry and the bottom will be golden brown. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Slowly lift off the rings and turn the crumpets over to cook and lightly brown the other side. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove when done and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve for tea with butter, or whatever topping you prefer. This recipe makes about twelve 3" crumpets.