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Hot Buttered Crumpets for a Snowy Day – Home-made Crumpet Recipe for a Tea Time Treat

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Home-made Crumpet Recipe for a Tea Time Treat

Home-Made Crumpets

crum·pet

Noun: Chiefly British

1.  A round soft unsweetened bread resembling a muffin, cooked on a griddle or the like, and often toasted.

2.  British Slang:  An attractive woman.

Origin:  Anglo-Saxon  1350–1400;  short for crumpetcake,  curled cake, equivalent to Middle English crompid (past participle of crumpen, variant of crampen. which is to bend or curl)

Deirdre my speckled hen in the snow!

It snowed at the weekend, large feathery flakes started to fall at about Midnight on Saturday, just as I was making my way to bed and they obviously continued to fall throughout the night, as I awoke at six o’clock in the morning to a strange muffled silence and a shimmering bright light that was streaming through the window. My first thought was for my hens, the Coronation Chickens as I call them. They have an old stone outbuilding as their hen hut and I was worried that the snow had crept up past the doorstep…….so I shot down the garden, crunching through virgin snow with a fire place shovel in my hand and a kettle of warm water. But all was fine, I opened their door and waited for them to stream out as they normally do. But these clever little ladies were having none of it and they viewed the white stuff with growing suspicion and sat on the door step! It took a twitter conversation with a fellow hen owning friend and several hours of cajoling before they finally left via a special straw strewn path! That is my speckled hen Deirdre you can see above, making her first steps on to snow, which, she had never seen before, and then the delightful trio of Rita, Mavis and Deirdre  making their way out of the run via the straw path below!

What does snowy weather mean? Baking and oodles of comfort food, all eaten with lashings of hot tea. As I lit the Aga and pondered on what to have for breakfast, I thought what better than home-made crumpets, and it would give me a chance to use my lovely old vintage griddle too……..a gift from my husband last year. I have made crumpets before and they are so MUCH better than shop bought crumpets, as well as being such a rewarding and comforting snack for breakfast, tea or supper.

Crumpets, pikelets, Scotch pancakes and English muffins: all traditional British tea-time treats but what’s the difference? That’s a good question. They’re all cooked on a griddle (girdle) or bakestone (a heavy-based frying-pan can be used as an alternative) but crumpets and muffins are both yeast-based. To make crumpets, you need egg rings (available from kitchen or hardware shops) or, if you can get them, special crumpet rings, and they need to be well-greased. More about crumpets: crumpets are flattened round breads which are cooked on a griddle/girdle or in a skillet. They are always associated with traditional English society and culture, and are sometimes confused with English muffins. Although the crumpet and the English muffin share many characteristics, they are in fact very different. Classic crumpets have a smooth round bottom which is dark brown and a top that is covered with small holes. They are served fresh from the griddle or toasted, and can be topped with cheese, bacon, honey, jam or fruit curds – although I always think butter is the traditional crumpet topping. Crumpets are never split, unlike English muffins, and they have a slightly spongy texture which absorbs butter remarkably well. The imagery of toasting crumpets over a fire is often associated with cosy rainy days inside old fashioned parlours, and is famous in British fiction, especially in Enid Blyton books. It is believed that the English muffin may have been invented by someone who was trying to replicate the crumpet, which explains the similarities between the two. Crumpets are simply brilliant fireside fodder for a cold winters day and I love them with all sorts of toppings as well as just simply buttered in the hot buttered crumpets sense!  So without further ado, I bring you Crumpets! Easy to make and the ultimate in comfort snack food. See you later with MORE winter warmers, Karen.

Home-made Crumpets

Print recipe
Home-made Crumpets
Serves 18 Crumpets
Prep time 1 hour
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 1 hour, 30 minutes
Region British
By author Karen S Burns-Booth
Much better than shop bought crumpets, these are easy to make and make a rewarding and comforting meal for breakfast, tea or supper.

Ingredients

  • 450g strong plain flour, sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 7g fast-rising active dry yeast ((One sachet))
  • 300ml warm milk
  • 300ml warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • Vegetable oil (for greasing griddle and crumpet rings)

Note

Much better than shop bought crumpets, these are easy to make and make a rewarding and comforting meal for breakfast, tea or supper.

Directions

Step 1 Note - you will need 4 crumpet rings, or egg rings or 7.5cm (3in) plain pastry cutters, greased.
Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and yeast making a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and water and mix to give quite a thick batter. Beat well until completely combined and cover with a tea towel or cling film. Leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it's a light, spongy texture. Stir well to knock out any air, add the bicarbonate of soda and pour into a large jug - mix well and allow to stand for a further 30 minutes.
Step 2 Heat a non-stick frying pan, or a greased griddle over a very low heat with a drop of oil or butter. Wipe the pan with kitchen paper to remove excess oil/butter. Sit the greased crumpet rings in the pan and leave to heat up for a couple of minutes.
Step 3 Pour in enough mixture to fill the rings just over halfway up the sides. Leave to cook until lots of small holes appear on the surface and the batter has just dried out. This will take about 8-10 minutes.
Step 4 Remove the rings and turn over the crumpets to cook for a further minute or two on the other side. Sit the first batch of crumpets on a wire rack whilst continuing to cook the remaining crumpets.
Step 5 Serve the crumpets warm, generously buttered. If you are making crumpets in advance, then reheat them by toasting lightly on both sides before serving. (Prep time includes rising time for the yeast batter).

Home-Made Crumpets

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Comments

  1. thelittleloaf says

    When you mentioned these on Twitter earlier I couldn’t wait to read the recipe 🙂 I’ve heard all sorts of horror stories about crumpets but it sounds like they’re really easy to make. Although I absolutely love crumpets I’ve never tried to make my own – bookmarking this recipe and planning to try this weekend. Yum.

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Thanks so much! They are really very easy to make and the only tip that I think is very important to share again, is that the rings need to be very well greased. Just shout if I can help with anything…..Karen

      Reply

  2. Becky Thorn says

    These look really lovely. I make crumpets but I don’t possess crumpet rings. The urge to make them was so great that I couldn’t wait until I’d been shopping. I took the top and bottom off several tuna cans waiting to go in the recycling and that worked just as well.

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Missed the hairy bikers making them, bet they were great entertainment as they were making them! They are easy so you should give them a go Sylvie.

      Reply

  8. Mark Willis says

    Not just a recipe, like so many blogs I read, but a positive eulogy, complete with full explanation (including the Old English derivations, no less); I love it.
    P.S. I love crumpets too.

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Yes, a great gift, I also got a copper preserving pan for Christmas too……the crumpets were fun to make and better than commercial ones too.

      Reply

  12. kellie@foodtoglow says

    I was looking for a perfect little crumpet recipe recently and didn’t end up making any. Now I can! Love these butter and Marmite ‘sponges’ and yours look terrific. A must-make treat for the weekend. So cute about your henny pennies. Ours are old hands with the snow, but I’m sure they would love the luxury of a straw carpet! Actually we do throw around more straw and untreated wood chips to keep their tootsies from freezing, otherwise they look like flamingos, taking turns putting a leg down at a time.

    Reply

    • Karen says

      LOL! Kellie, you did make me laugh with your Henny Penny tale! My hens are just babies and have never seen snow before and they were just so funny at first. By the end of the day, they were scratting around in the snow and eating frozen grass. Do let me know if you make the crumpets and shout if I can help with anything at all! Karen

      Reply

  13. Mary says

    There’s nothing better than a good crumpet! I LOVE them and had no idea how to make them so this is wonderful! Your chickens look lovely – not at all bothered by the snow!
    Mary x

    Reply

  14. Ruth says

    Hot crumpets are comfort food at its finest! Your poor snowy chickens – hope things thaw out quickly and the temperature rises soon!

    Reply

  16. Janice (Farmersgirl) says

    I have only once made crumpets and they stuck to the crumpet rings! Mind you I think they were cheap ones. I do love all those girdle cooked tea time treats. Pancakes (we just call them pancakes in Scotland)are so easy to make and there is nothing better to have with butter straight off the girdle. I’m making myself hungry just thinking about it!

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Yes you are SO right Janice – this recipe can go horribly wring if the crumpet rings are not greased properly…..I managed to get mine out with ease this time!

      Reply

  17. Choclette says

    Oh, such delicious look crumpets Karen and such a pretty plate they are on and you’ve got crumpet rings and a griddle and an aga and some very beautiful hens – I’m just off for a sulk!

    Reply

  18. A Trifle Rushed says

    Karen, another thing I’ve never made, they look scrumptious! I have deep griddle envy, I really need one! (I do have a copper preserving pan though, but prefer my very deep steel one, less chance of scalding my self!). Jude x

    Reply

  20. Joanna says

    Fabulous chicken photos! I love them 🙂 Do they get to try the crumpets too? I have made a couple of times and mine come out blind. I will try your version and see if I have better luck – I love crumpets really well toasted with butter and marmite, or with jam, or with cheese or with… oh I’d just better get on with it !

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Thanks Joanna, I love my hens, and they do get the crumpets sometimes, when and if there are any left that is. DO try these, they certainly worked for me! Karen

      Reply

  21. Hannah says

    For someone who is decidedly anti-crumpet, I must admit – these do look pretty yummy! I’m torn now! Love the little straw path set up for your hens too.

    Reply

  22. Nelly says

    These look absolutely scrummy and not too difficult to make! I might need to make these one Sunday for a treat.

    I normally eat my crumpets either buttered or with homemade jam, I love when the jam soaks into the holes… I am actually salivating right now! YUM!

    Reply

  23. Elly @ Nutmegs, seven says

    Oh wow, these look incredible – so fluffy and doughy! I have never yet got round to making homemade crumpets, even though I bought crumpet rings specially years ago, but this post has made me realise what I’m missing…!

    Reply

  24. Lauren says

    They’re so lovely! I’m definitely going to go get my hands on some of those crumpet rings. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them around here.

    Reply

  25. Carrie says

    I rather enjoyed being assigned your blog for the SRC this month! Your doing a great job here… though I’ve never eaten a crumpet in my life until I made these…. I have to say they were quite tasty!

    Reply

  26. Denise says

    Oh my goodness – I don’t think I have even contemplated making my own crumpets – even though I love them. I have everything required although I would love your antique griddle plate.

    Reply

  28. Choclette says

    Goodness Karen, you do know how to get our mouths watering. Who wouldn’t love to get out a toasting fork, stick one of your home made crumpets on the end, toast it over an open fire, slather it with butter and then savour it with the butter dripping down their chin – well I certainly would anyway.

    And I can’t believe it’s been snowing up your way or is it down your way? Which country are you in? Your girls look very sleek, well groomed and beautiful.

    Reply

    • Karen says

      This is Yorkshire, but not now, was a post I wrote in February this year and I shared the link again as I made crumpets for tea! My girls are beauties aren’t they? The little devils, they led me a merry dance trying to get them in to their hut last night! Karen

      Reply

  30. Fiona Matters says

    I was hoping you had a crumpet recipe – I adore crumpets but am still trying to find the perfect recipe. So much fun to make on a cold Saturday morning. Yours look really good with all the air holes! I can’t wait to try these out.

    Reply

  31. Mimi says

    Hi, I tried this recipe however my crumpets didn’t come out light and airy – they were still wet and raw inside. I tried several temperatures and still couldn’t get it right. Any tips please?

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Sorry these did not turn out, maybe you over filled the rings? If they are to thick, it will take longer to cook. A lower and slower temperature is best, I cannot say what temperature, as I cook mine on top of my Aga and on gas sometimes too. The griddle or pan can make a difference too, the thinner it is, the quicker the heat will conduct and they will brown before cooking right through – you need a heavy cast iron pan or a griddle pan. I really hope this helps,a s I never have a problem, but I DO have a cast iron griddle, which is best! Karen

      Reply

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