English Crumpets
Yield: 4 servings
4 oz flour
4 oz bread flour
2 ts salt
1/4 oz fresh yeast
1 ts sugar
1/2 pt warm milk and water
1 tb vegetable oil
1/2 ts bicarbonate of soda
1/4 pt warm water
Sift the flours and salt into a warm bowl. Cream the yeast with
the sugar. Add the warmed milk and water, then the oil. Stir into
the flour to make a batter, and beat vigorously until smooth and
elastic. Cover the bowl, put in a warm place and leave it until
the mixture rises and the surface is full of bubbles (about 1 1/2
hours). Break it down by beating with a wooden spoon. Cover and
leave in a warm place to prove for another 30 minutes.
To cook the crumpets, heat and grease the bakestone lightly. Grease
5 or 6 crumpet rings (3-3 1/2 inches) (or scone cutters) and put
them on the bakestone to heat. Cook as many crumpets as possible
at a time, as the batter will not stay bubbly for long. Put 1/2
inch deep of batter into each ring. Cook gently for 7 - 10 minutes,
or until the surface sets and is full of tiny bubbles. Using an
oven glove for protection, lift off the ring, and if the base of
the crumpet is pale gold, flip it over and cook for another 3
minutes until the other side is just colored.
If the crumpet batter is set but sticks slightly in the ring, push
it out gently with the back of a wooden spoon. Wipe, grease and
heat the rings for each batch of crumpets. If serving immediately,
wrap the crumpets in a cloth and keep warm between batches. Butter
generously and serve at once. If reheating, toast the crumpets
under the grill, cooking the smooth surface first and then the top
so that the butter will melt into the holes