Sheila’s Cookbook Recipes by request – Old English Crumpets
We have been asked many times for our recipes through our facebook pages. Sheila has her own book of special recipes which uses over and over again. We have been collecting recipes for more than forty years and have a massive database, as well as a couple of thousand cookery books, from where we source our recipes.
In ‘Sheila’s Cookbook’, she keeps her favourite recipes. She used it this morning to bake a batch of scones and crumpets. We had them with our glass of wine for an afternoon snack before we start preparing our evening meal. We were going to have another barbecue, but the wind is rising again so we may have to abandon and use up another of her recipes which she baked alongside the scones and crumpets – cheese and tomato quiche.
So, here we go. For all those who have asked for the recipes, here is page two of the book home-made Old English Crumpets. Great coverered in Jam or you can them for breakfast covered in Baked Beans
Home-made Crumpets
Crumpets fit into the category of tea cakes, and appeared in the later seventeenth century. The name is thought to come from the Middle English crompid, meaning to bend or curl into a curve, which is what home-made crumpets tend to do. They are very closely related to the Welsh version, now known as ‘pikelet’, which is still found in the Midlands, the west of England and Wales. Muffins are also related, but few exist now in the British tradition — although they are, of course, very popular in America (where we took them). And they are not too different from drop or girdle/griddle scones. Toasted crumpets are a favourite in my home. But it’s never at teatime, although that’s when I remember having them. If they want crumpets – and it’s always toasted with lashings of butter and huge dollops of jam, washed down with a big mug of tea — it has to be for breakfast.
Watching that famous ‘bubbled’ look develop in the pan is quite amazing. And to eat them straight from the pan with lots of butter is a very ‘melting’ experience. Whether it be for breakfast or afternoon tea, here’s the recipe.
MAKES APPROX. 20 CRUMPETS
450 g (1 lb) plain flour
15 g (1/2 oz) salt
15 g (1/2 oz) fresh yeast
600 ml (1 pint) warm water
Sieve together the flour and salt. Mix the yeast with a few tablespoons of the warm water. Whisk three-quarters of the remaining warm water into the flour and then add the yeasty liquid. Cover and leave in a warm place until the mixture has risen. Once risen, check the consistency. If the batter is very thick, loosen with the remaining water. The batter should now be left to stand for 8-10 minutes. Warm a non-stick frying-pan on a low heat.
Grease some crumpet rings or small tartlet rings and rub the pan with butter. Place the rings into the frying-pan and pour in some of the batter until half-full (5 mm—1 cm/ 1/4—1/2 in deep). Cook on a low heat until small holes appear and the top has started to dry. The base of the crumpet will now be golden and it can be turned over and cooked for a further minute. The crumpets are now ready for lots of melting butter.
Note: The crumpets can be cooked without turning: simply cook until the tops are completely dry. The finely grated zest of 1 lemon can also be added to the batter, to give a lemon bite. lf fresh yeast isn’t available, use 2 teaspoons dried yeast. Mix with the flour and salt, add the water and leave to rise as above.
For page one of Sheila’s Recipe cookbook follow this link: Page One – Scones
baking with Bill & Sheila
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