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Crumpets

Holey griddle cakes for butter and honey

Crumpets are the spongy, holey griddle cakes that Londoners and the whole of England toast on winter afternoons, soaked in melting butter. A loose yeasted batter is lifted with a little bicarbonate, poured into rings on a griddle and cooked gently on one side only, so bubbles rise and set into the famous holes. Chef's tip: grease the rings generously and keep the heat low; the top must set before the bottom burns.
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
10
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Ingredients

Serves10

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Whisk the 6 oz strong white bread flour, 6 oz plain flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast and 1 tsp sugar with the 1 ½ cups milk and ¾ cup warm water for 3 minutes into a smooth, thick batter. Cover and leave 1 hour, until bubbly and risen.

    65 min
  2. Step 2: Dissolve the 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda in the ½ cup warm water and beat into the batter. Leave 15 minutes more.

    15 min
  3. Step 3: Heat a heavy frying pan over a low heat and grease 4 crumpet rings (9 cm) and the pan with 2 tbsp vegetable oil.

    3 min
  4. Step 4: Set the rings in the pan and pour in batter to 1.5 cm deep. Cook for 7–8 minutes, until the surface is covered in holes and set. A common mistake is a hot pan; if no holes appear, the heat is too high or the batter too thick.

    8 min
  5. Step 5: Lift off the rings, flip the crumpets and cook 1 minute to colour the tops. Repeat, re-greasing the rings. Toast and butter to serve.

    20 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
130 kcal
Protein
4 g
Carbs
26 g
Fat
1 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does crumpets take?
About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
What can I use instead of plain flour?
Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).

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