**English Crumpets: A Delightful Culinary Experience**
Indulge in the delightful world of English crumpets, a quintessential British teatime treat that offers a unique culinary experience. These soft, spongy griddle cakes, characterized by their distinctive holes, possess a slightly sour flavor that pairs wonderfully with a variety of toppings, from traditional butter and jam to savory options like cheese and eggs. This article provides two delectable recipes for English crumpets: a classic version and a vegan alternative, ensuring that everyone can savor the joy of this classic dish. Each recipe includes detailed instructions, helpful tips, and a list of all necessary ingredients, making it easy for both experienced bakers and culinary novices to create these delectable treats in the comfort of their own kitchens.
ENGLISH CRUMPETS
Homemade crumpets are delicious served with butter, jam or...Marmite®!
Provided by Ginger
Categories Bread Yeast Bread Recipes
Time 1h40m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Whisk 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine water and milk in a separate bowl and quickly whisk the milk mixture into the dry ingredients until batter is thick and smooth. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until spongy, about 1 hour. Stir dough to reduce sponginess.
- Place a rack into the oven and preheat to 150 degrees F (65 degrees C).
- Spray a skillet and round metal open-top cookie cutters or crumpet molds with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-low heat, place the metal cutters or molds into the skillet, and let the molds heat up. Spoon batter into the molds, filling them about halfway. Let the crumpets cook until the bottoms are browned, the tops appear nearly dry, and popped bubbles appear on top, about 5 minutes.
- Use tongs to lift molds out of the pan; remove molds from the crumpets. Flip and return crumpets to skillet to cook the other sides until browned, 1 to 2 more minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. Keep cooked crumpets warm on rack in the preheated oven while you cook remaining crumpets.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 96.8 calories, Carbohydrate 18.7 g, Cholesterol 2 mg, Fat 0.8 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 3.4 g, SaturatedFat 0.4 g, Sodium 108.8 mg, Sugar 1.6 g
OLD FASHIONED HOME-MADE ENGLISH CRUMPETS FOR TEA-TIME
MUCH better than shop bought crumpets, these are easy to make and are a rewarding and comforting meal for breakfast, tea or supper. Crumpets, pikelets, Scotch pancakes and English muffins: all traditional British tea-time treats but what's the difference? That's a good question! They're all cooked on a griddle or bakestone (a heavy-based frying-pan can be used as an alternative) but crumpets and muffins are both yeast-based. To make crumpets, you need egg rings (available from kitchen or hardware shops) or, if you can get them, special crumpet rings, and they need to be well-greased. More about crumpets: crumpets are flattened round breads which are cooked on a griddle or in a skillet. They are closely associated with English society and culture, and are sometimes confused with English muffins. Although the crumpet and the English muffin share some characteristics, the two foods are in fact very different. Classic crumpets have a smooth round bottom, and a top riddled with small holes. They are served fresh from the griddle or toasted, and can be topped with cheese, bacon, honey, jam or clotted cream - although butter is the traditional crumpet topping. Crumpets are never split, unlike English muffins, and they have a slightly spongy texture which absorbs butter remarkably well. The concept of toasting crumpets over a fire is often associated with companionable rainy days in British fiction. For people who are still confused about the differences between crumpets and English muffins, remember that crumpets have a holey top, they are not split, and they are far less "bready" than English muffins tend to be. It is believed that the English muffin may have been invented by someone who was trying to replicate the crumpet, which explains the commonalities between the two. The recipes for English muffins and crumpets are also very different, with crumpets being made from batter and English muffins being made from a dough. Because crumpets are made from a batter, they must be cooked in metal rings called crumpet rings or they will lose their shape.
Provided by French Tart
Categories Yeast Breads
Time 1h30m
Yield 18 Crumpets, 18 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Note - you will need 4 crumpet rings, or egg rings or 7.5cm (3in) plain pastry cutters, greased.
- Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and yeast making a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and water and mix to give quite a thick batter. Beat well until completely combined and cover with a tea towel or cling film.
- Leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it's a light, spongy texture. Stir well to knock out any air, add the bicarbonate of soda and pour into a large jug - mix well and allow to stand for a further 30 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan, or a greased griddle, over a very low heat with a drop of oil or butter. Wipe the pan with kitchen paper to remove excess oil/butter. Sit the greased crumpet rings in the pan and leave to heat up for a couple of minutes.
- Pour in enough mixture to fill the rings just over halfway up the sides. Leave to cook until lots of small holes appear on the surface and the batter has just dried out. This will take about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the rings and turn over the crumpets to cook for a further minute or two on the other side. Sit the first batch of crumpets on a wire rack whilst continuing to cook the remaining crumpets.
- Serve the crumpets warm, generously buttered. If you are making crumpets in advance, then reheat them by toasting lightly on both sides before serving. (Prep time includes rising time for the yeast dough.).
ENGLISH/SCOTTISH CRUMPETS
Steps:
- In a large bowl, stir the sugar or honey into the warm water. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top and let it sit until it bubbles, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and let it sit for about half an hour in a warm place. Grease a griddle or frying pan and the crumpet rings or cookie cutters. Place the rings on the cooking surface and preheat all. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into each 3" ring and cook over medium low heat until set, about 10 minutes. (Avoid cooking them too quickly.) The top should be full of holes when they are done. Remove the crumpets from the rings and brown the other side, if desired, for a minute or so. Repeat until all the batter is used. Serve warm with butter and jam or clotted cream and jam.
ENGLISH CRUMPETS
Categories Bread
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Combine yeast, sugar and one cup of warm water into a mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for about ten minutes. During this time the liquid should develop a foamy head, showing that the yeast is active. Sift flour, milk and salt into another bowl, and mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour; add the yeasty water and the rest of the warm water. Using a wooden spoon, mix to a thick batter. Cover with plastic wrap, and stand in a warm place until well risen and bubbly. This will take about an hour. The batter doesn't rise dramatically, but it does expand somewhat, and the mixture takes on gases, which are necessary in the cooking process. Combine the bicarbonate of soda and the extra water, and add this mix to the dough. MIX WELL. Then leave this mixture to stand, covered, in a warm place for a further 15 minutes. Preheat a heavy based fry pan to a low heat such that oils will not burn or smoke Spray oils also allow you to coat the crumpet rings as you are ready to cook. Place enough mixture into the center of each ring to come almost to the top of the ring. (The dough does rise during cooking, and this should be allowed for in the filling of the ring.) Cook for 4-8 minutes over medium heat, until bubbles appear over the entire surface, and the dough appears 'dry'. Remove the ring, turn the crumpet over and cook an additional 30 to 60 seconds to brown the top. Remove from the pan and cool on a cake rack. If you find that the bottom is too dark (politely referred to as burnt), you are cooking too quickly. Slow it down, relax, and try again. The worst thing that can happen is that you have to make another batch.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best results. - Make sure your yeast is active before using it. If you're not sure, mix it with a little warm water and sugar and let it sit for 10 minutes. If it bubbles up, it's good to go. - Knead the dough well until it is smooth and elastic. This will help to develop the gluten in the flour and make the crumpets chewy. - Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. This will help to create a light and fluffy texture. - Cook the crumpets over medium heat. If the heat is too high, the outside will cook too quickly and the inside will be raw. - Serve the crumpets warm, with your favorite toppings.Conclusion:
English crumpets are a delicious and versatile breakfast food that can be enjoyed with a variety of toppings. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make them at home. Just be sure to follow the tips above to ensure that your crumpets turn out perfect.
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