Crumpets
If living in the Outback has taught me one thing, it’s that it isn’t always possible to duck down to your local supermarket to pick up the essentials. While I don’t have a cow and can’t produce my own milk here on the property, I can certainly whip up a batch of crumpets should I get to the freezer to find that we’re all out.
Now, I know what you’re thinking - “But Ainsley, you can hardly count crumpets as an essential!” To which I say, no, but sometimes when you have a craving and it’s weeks before grocery day, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. And besides, can you honestly say that you know how they’re made? How that sponge-like texture is achieved? My answer to that question until recently was absolutely not and so I went for a little internet trip to learn what it takes to make a perfect crumpet.
You might be quite as surprised as I was to discover that they don’t take a long time to make and it isn’t hard at all the achieve something that tastes and resembles a crumpet that you would buy from the store. Providing you have some pantry staples, yeast and some egg rings, you’re well on the way to making these simple little delights!
They are also great frozen too which is essential in my opinion. I will often do a double batch, freeze what we don’t eat to save for a day when I’m looking for a quick snack or breakfast when I’m strapped for time. A simple reheat in the toaster brings them back to almost as fresh and crisp as they were the day you made them.
Why not give them a go? You’ll find homemade is always better than store-bought and these crumpets are not exception. I found them to have that moreish chewiness we all know and love from a store-bought crumpet but also have a delicateness to them - almost like a pancake. Not to mention as yeast is a crucial ingredient to making them develop that signature bubble texture, it also adds a beautiful flavour. One that I’ve never come across in a crumpet before but certainly a flavour I will miss should I ever need to eat one from a packet again.
Crumpets
Ingredients
- 300g plain flour
- 400ml luke-warm water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 2 tbsp luke-warm water
- 60g melted butter
- Crumpet (or tall egg) rings
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together yeast and 2tbsp of warm water. Allow to sit for 5-8 minutes or until the top is slightly foamy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and water for about 30secs or until lump free and smooth.
- Add the yeast, sugar and baking powder to the flour mixture and continue to whisk for an additional 30 seconds to thoroughly combine. Cover the bowl and sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. At the end of this time, the mixture should have expanded slightly and larger bubbles should start to rise to the top. Avoid leaving for too long as this may lead to less bubbly crumpets.
- Brush a layer of melted butter across the bottom of a large skillet (large enough to accommodate 4 crumpet rings) over medium-high heat. Brush the inside of the crumpet rings generously with the butter and place into the skillet. Once a small piece of butter starts to sizzle when placed into the pan, it's hot enough to add the batter.
- Using a 1/3 measuring cup, pour the batter into the center of the crumpet rings. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the outside edge bubbles are set and the middle is still shiny before you reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until all the bubbles have set and the middle is dry - an additional 5 mins.
- Carefully remove the crumpet rings. Use a spatula to flip the crumpets. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
- Serve with generous amounts of butter and honey!
Notes
- Alternatively at the last step, you can cool them completely before placing into air-tight container or wrap in plastic wrap before placing them in the freezer.
- Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Place them in the toaster to reheat before serving and to help crisp the surface again.