Tea and crumpets anyone?

Is there anything better than measuring out ingredients for a little early morning baking? –Erin Sulley photo I can’t remember when exactly I discovered crumpets but certainly remember how my taste buds reacted. It was a moment of complete satisfaction with every delicious, chewy, warm and toasty bite, coupled with, “where have you been all my life?”

What is a crumpet? I think the easiest way to describe it is a thick pancake with a similar size of an English muffin.

“What round and sounds like a trumpet? A crumpet.” Unknown

I always bought store bought crumpets until I came across a recipe and decided to give it a try. I’m not a master of making crumpets by any means, but I thought this recipe was certainly good enough to share with all of you. Crumpets aren’t hard to make but you do need a little time on your side.

To make them, you’ll need one and three quarter cup of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of dried yeast, one teaspoon of sugar, a little over one cup of milk (275ml) and six tablespoons of cold water, oh, and crumpet rings. I have metal rings but you can also get silicone, which I’ve heard are easier to use as the batter doesn’t stick when frying.

Heat your milk in the microwave for about a minute. It should be warm, not hot. In a bowl, add your milk, cold water and stir in the sugar and yeast. Stir it up until you get a froth effect and place it aside for about 15 minutes. While that does its thing, sift the salt and flour in another bowl. When your mixture is frothy, work the flour into the mixture a little bit at a time until you get a smooth batter. It should be a similar texture to pancakes. If it’s too thick add more milk.

Once that’s done, cover the bowl with a tea towel and place it aside for about 45 minutes. When ready, do not stir it again, simply spoon two tablespoons of the batter in your rings. Fry them for about five minutes but do not flip until you see the bubbles form and burst. When you see a bunch of holes, you can free the crumpets from the sides of the rings and flip them inside the rings. Once flipped, you only need to fry them for about a minute.

How do you serve crumpets? Well, you can eat them right out of the frying pan. If you plan on letting them cool to eat later, an FYI, they’re better toasted and smothered with butter. Honest to goodness, it’s the best. A toasty crunch on the outside and a soft and chewy inside — perfection. It’s also yummy with an egg, avocado and bacon on top. Another favourite of mine is a hefty dollop of jam or a combination of cream cheese and jam. Hot tip: bakeapple jam or Belbin’s blueberry jam is the bomb on crumpets.

My oh my, how English of me.

Crumpets originated in the 17th century and were made from flour milk and egg. In the Victorian era, it’s said this British treat was made with yeast and then baking powder. Like most recipes it has evolved over the years.

“In England, everything stops for tea.”

- Unknown

Crumpets are the perfect accompaniment to a good cuppa at any time of the day. If you’re looking for a recipe to serve for an afternoon tea — you can’t go wrong with a steeping pot of tea and homemade crumpets.

Treat yourself by using one of your “fancy” dishes.

I chose one that belonged to my Grandma. Not only does it have great sentimental value as it reminds me of her, but it’s pretty too! I wonder what the name of this dish is? Please hold, as I ask my friend who is never without an answer – Google.

OK, it doesn’t have a fancy name. It’s pretty straightforward. A snack plate and tea cup set. Either way, I haven’t actually seen them in a store. I consider it a rare find and it makes me smile with every use.

Give homemade crumpets a try, because they’re definitely fit to eat.