We don't seem to have blacktop roads any more, they are all white. I half expected our cleaner not to come this morning but she made it. It has been snowing all day. We decided not to go bowling this aft, not really worth it ploughing through the roads. Bit concerned as I have an appointment at the Infectious Diseases Dept. in the hospital Thursday morning. I have a car coming for us, but no doubt he will cry off if the snow gets any worse although I understand the driver tomorrow has an SUV. If he has good tires, may be OK.
Being born and bred in England, I love crumpets. Actually my father owned a crumpet factory once upon a time and during school holidays I used to go help. Rings (like muffin rings) were put onto hot plates and then the batter was poured into them. They were flipped once and then when ready, we had a greased sock on our arm and used to punch the crumpets out of the rings greasing them at the same time. That was my job LOL. I normally buy my crumpets from my grocery store but they haven't had any for a while. Talking to the bakers where I buy my favourite buns, she suggested making my own. I just googled a recipe and here it is. Of course I don't have any muffin rings or tuna cans (I don't much like canned tuna anyway) so I will have to acquire some. I have an indoor/outdoor grill which has a hotplate I could use. For my English friends, I love Patum Peperium on crumpets as well as sweet toppings. Never had them with clotted cream, but anything is good with that. So now I need rings. OK found a set of 4 for $12.26 at Amazon.ca and as I have a 30 day trial of Prime, I don't have to pay shipping. Now I will have to decide which sock I don't want any more LOL
Crumpets
This traditional British teatime treat is midway between English muffin and pancake. Like an English
muffin, it's full of holes, perfect for collecting rivulets of melted butter. But it's also moister and thinner – more like a small pancake.
These are best enjoyed toasted, and spread with butter, jam, and/or clotted cream. Since their holes reach to the outside crust, there's no need to split them before toasting.
You can make crumpets without English muffin rings (or cleaned tuna cans), but they'll be perfectly round and ever so much nicer looking if you use rings.
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 Tbs melted butter
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, and beat vigorously for 2 minutes. A stand or hand mixer, set on high speed, work well here.
2. Cover the bowl, and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour. It will expand and become bubbly. Towards the end of the rest, preheat a griddle to medium-low, about 325°F. If you don't have an electric griddle, preheat a frying pan; it shouldn't be as hot as the temperature you use to cook pancakes.
3. Lightly grease the griddle or frying pan, and place well-greased 3 3/4" English muffin rings in the pan, as many as will fit. (If you don't have English muffin rings, use well-cleaned tuna cans, from which you've removed the top and bottom.) Pour sticky batter by the scant 1/4-cupful into each ring; a muffin scoop works well here.
4. After about 4 minutes, use a pair of tongs to slip the rings off. Cook the crumpets for a total of about 10 minutes on the first side, until their tops are riddled with small bubbles/holes. They should be starting to look a bit dry around the edges. Their bottoms will be a mottled, light-golden brown. Note: They probably won't be as full of holes as store-bought crumpets; that's OK.
5. Turn the crumpets over, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, to finish cooking the insides and to brown the tops gently. This isn't traditional; "real" crumpets are white on top, but the crumpet police won't chastise you for adding a little color to the tops.
6. Remove the crumpets from the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter, until all the crumpets are cooked. Serve warm. Or cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature. To enjoy, warm in the toaster. Serve with butter, or butter and jam.
Yield: 20 crumpets
Source: King Arthur Flour
Have a great day
Crumpets
This traditional British teatime treat is midway between English muffin and pancake. Like an English
These are best enjoyed toasted, and spread with butter, jam, and/or clotted cream. Since their holes reach to the outside crust, there's no need to split them before toasting.
You can make crumpets without English muffin rings (or cleaned tuna cans), but they'll be perfectly round and ever so much nicer looking if you use rings.
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 Tbs melted butter
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, and beat vigorously for 2 minutes. A stand or hand mixer, set on high speed, work well here.
2. Cover the bowl, and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour. It will expand and become bubbly. Towards the end of the rest, preheat a griddle to medium-low, about 325°F. If you don't have an electric griddle, preheat a frying pan; it shouldn't be as hot as the temperature you use to cook pancakes.
3. Lightly grease the griddle or frying pan, and place well-greased 3 3/4" English muffin rings in the pan, as many as will fit. (If you don't have English muffin rings, use well-cleaned tuna cans, from which you've removed the top and bottom.) Pour sticky batter by the scant 1/4-cupful into each ring; a muffin scoop works well here.
4. After about 4 minutes, use a pair of tongs to slip the rings off. Cook the crumpets for a total of about 10 minutes on the first side, until their tops are riddled with small bubbles/holes. They should be starting to look a bit dry around the edges. Their bottoms will be a mottled, light-golden brown. Note: They probably won't be as full of holes as store-bought crumpets; that's OK.
5. Turn the crumpets over, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, to finish cooking the insides and to brown the tops gently. This isn't traditional; "real" crumpets are white on top, but the crumpet police won't chastise you for adding a little color to the tops.
6. Remove the crumpets from the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter, until all the crumpets are cooked. Serve warm. Or cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature. To enjoy, warm in the toaster. Serve with butter, or butter and jam.
Yield: 20 crumpets
Source: King Arthur Flour
Have a great day
I'm going to get in touch with my English side this weekend and make some crumpets. I have never had them before.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting to the doctor!
PS I made the Chinese recipe this evening. I didn't have any snow peas or zucchini, so I used a fresh pineapple that was getting too ripe. It was delicious. I enjoyed the sweetness with the other flavors so much, I threw in some cranberries too.
Hope it works for you Liz. Never tried making them at home.
DeleteThose alterations of yours sound delicious. Must make a note of that and try it myself next time.
Hi Jo - good luck with the snow and getting to your appointment. We have crumpets with marmite, jam or honey ... but they're bought; or we used to make drop scones at home ... which were so so good. Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteNot sure I have ever eaten them with Marmite Hilary. Haven't had that for years. I think I should be able to get to my appointment OK.
DeleteInteresting recipe. I don't think I've ever had a crumpet.
ReplyDeleteWatched that snow moving your way yesterday. I was at the lower edge of it and only got about one inch. Still had to clear the driveway though.
Good luck at the doctor.
Well its a very English thing Denise. They sell them here but don't think I ever saw them in NC.
DeleteWe got a good dollop of the white stuff. More snow this winter than in many a long year.
No blacktop roads? That's odd. Hope your driver makes it today.
ReplyDeleteThey don't plow the roads any more Alex. Not sure why. But they certainly look white round here.
DeleteI LOVE CRUMPETS!!! I was introduced to them in New Zealand, with butter and lemon curd. Needless to say I gained a lot of weight in NZ!! LOL. Seriously, I just found some a few weeks ago. They didn't last long. I am a serious fan of crumpets and now I want to make them! Tell me how the recipe works for you, please. I'm copying the recipe now...
ReplyDeleteGot to wait for the rings Lisa, then I will have a go. Never thought of lemon curd, used to make my own curd many, many years ago, better than the bought stuff.
DeleteOh, and I only use King Arthur flour!
ReplyDeleteDon't think we have King Arthur flour here Lisa, I know there is Robin Hood Flour.
DeleteCrumpets aren't sweet? That's a surprise! I always thought it was a kind of soft cookie.
ReplyDeleteNope, nothing like a cookie JoJo. A lot of people put sweet toppings on once they have been toasted. Jam, honey, etc. and lots of butter.
Delete