I often miss home and my British roots, but right now I am more than ever. I think it's because someone is telling me I can't leave and go home. I find myself seeking out a British import store for my baked beans, jaffa cakes, twiglets, toffee crisps, hob nobs, marmite, and maltesers. But, during this time it is impossible to get to a British import store and even a regular grocery store. So when my crumpet craving hit today, I decided to make them myself.
They are a bit of a process but totally worth it. I have made them a few times over the last 10 years since I have been living in the US and have been perfecting the recipe ever since. I love them slathered with butter and drizzled with honey. But they are also heavenly with some jam or marmite on top. One of my favourite things to serve them with is actually creamy tomato soup because of the texture, they soak up all the yummy tomatoey, (not sure if that is a word), goodness.
So let me show you how I make them! I like to start the day by making them because then they'll be ready for elevensies, (which is the snack between breakfast and lunch of course, very important right now and a tradition we uphold fully in England). I hope you enjoy their fluffy scrumptiousness as much as I do!
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm milk
1 packet, dried active yeast
1 teaspoon cane sugar
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon baking soda
Whisk the sugar and yeast in to your warmed milk and let it sit for 10 minutes until it's bubbly. While you are waiting, sift your flour and salt in to a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Make a well in the center and then add in the frothy yeast and milk mixture. Stir or beat on slow in your mixer until a thick dough forms for about a minute and then cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and place it in a warm area or just in to your oven on the PROOF setting and leave it for 1 hour.
Pause to make coffee and dance around your kitchen to happy Motown tunes to start your day off the right way.
Next add in your baking soda to your warm water and stir to dissolve. Take the dough out of the oven from proofing. It should have doubled in size at this point. Pour the water and baking soda mix in to the dough and then either beat with your stand mixer or beat with your electric hand mixer for a couple of minutes until combined.
Now cover it again and put it back in to the oven for 30 minutes to let the bubbles start to form from the baking soda.
Once ready, preheat a cast iron skillet and spray with vegetable oil spray or melt butter in the bottom. Grease and then place your crumpet rings, (I only had heart shaped rings), in to the pan and then ladle in your batter so it's about half full. Cook on a medium heat for about ten minutes. Once the crumpet looks almost cooked all the way through and bubbles have formed, flip them over and get them nice and toasted on the other side for about 1 minute.
Then place them on your serving platter or plate and remove the rings. Slather with butter and honey or your topping of choice and enjoy their warm fluffiness!
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