Friday, January 18

Traditional English Crumpets

One priority on our agenda's when we are visiting the UK, is always enjoying food that we can't get where we have been living. Perhaps our waistlines expand a little in the process but it's definitely worth the indulgence of 'home comforts'!

There are all kinds of yumminess that I personally miss when we're living abroad. Many of the things would be food that I wouldn't necessarily eat regularly if we lived in England ... but it's surprising how not being able to get them for a year or so at a time makes you want to eat them all the more!

As a family we're been enjoying all kinds of things from bacon sandwiches, proper sausages and cream teas to fish and chips, custard creams and a large selection of British chocolate bars. 

I am always on the look out for how I can replicate our favourite treats from scratch ... so that we can eat them even if we can't get them at the local shops wherever we live in the world. Especially looking ahead to our move to Tanzania next month.

Last week, my dad treated us to what was described as his new 'party trick'! Homemade crumpets, see them cooking below. (For the non-Brit readers among you, click here for the Wikipedia description.) It's been something I've wanted to experiment with for a while and just never had the chance to get round to it ... but now I have a full-proof delicious recipe from my dad!


Here it is ... very British and very yummy!
  • 250g sieved strong white bread flour
  • 1x 7g sachet dried active yeast
  • 1/2 t sea salt
  • 1 t sugar
  • 1/2 t bicarbonate of soda
  • 100ml water
  • 275ml milk
  • Butter for greasing and to serve
  • Crumpet Rings to cook them in
  1. Heat the water and milk together until lukewarm
  2. Sieve flour into mixing bowl, add yeast, sugar, bicarb & salt
  3. Mix in warm liquid to flour mixture with wooden spoon, then whisk for a few minutes until a batter is formed
  4. Place damp tea towel across the top of the bowl and leave in a warm place for about an hour, til risen and full of bubbles
  5. Grease crumpet rings and add butter to pre-heated non-stick frying pan
  6. Put rings into the frying pan, add approx 2 teaspoons of mixture into each ring ... just under half full
  7. Cook on medium-low heat, approx 10 mins until surface has bubbled, formed holes and dried out
  8. Remove rings (carefully ... they're HOT!) then flip crumpets for a few seconds so the tops can brown
  9. Serve immediately with butter, jam, melted cheese, syrup or something else ... or save and toast later
This recipe makes approx 12 crumpets. It is possible to stir in some extra ingredients just before the cooking stage ... the ones we enjoyed had chopped walnuts and raisins in them!

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