Crumpets

Crumpets

cooked on the hob, 2 hour prove

Ingredients

Makes 8-10

plain flour       250g
whole milk        240g
water             240g
instant yeast     7g
caster sugar      4g
salt              6g
bicarbonate       3g

Milk and water should be warm, around 40°C.
You need crumpet rings (about 9cm wide, 2.5cm tall). Metal scone or biscuit cutters work too.
Crumpets are always toasted before eating, never straight off the pan.

Recipe

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the warm milk and water and stir to a smooth, thick batter. Cover and leave somewhere warm for 1-2 hours until risen and full of bubbles.

2. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in a splash of warm water and stir into the batter. Beat for a minute or two. The batter will loosen and should pour like thick double cream. Cover and rest for 30-60 minutes.

3. Grease the crumpet rings and the inside of a non-stick frying pan with butter. Place the rings in the pan and heat over medium-high until hot.

4. Pour enough batter into each ring to come halfway up. It will sizzle immediately.

5. After a couple of minutes, bubbles will start appearing on the surface. Reduce to medium and cook for another 2 minutes.

6. Reduce to medium-low and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until the surface is completely set, matte and covered in holes. Use a skewer to poke through any bubbles that haven’t opened.

7. Remove the rings and flip. Cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side just to set it. The top should stay pale.

8. Cool on a wire rack. Toast before eating.