The Scrumpy Crumps

Hi Friend!

 We have delicious news indeed. Making Sourdough through a trial and error process has resulted in a large stock of bread. Should the apocalypse come our freezer should be able to sustain the majority of Newcastle for at least a month, we just have so much bread. It is delicious, nothing is tastier than bread and butter, but I am sick to death of it! I'm sorry James, but I am. Toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, garlic bread for dinner, bread and butter pudding for dessert. Our clothes were becoming tighter and our bathroom visits longer. The problem with bread is that you can eat so much of it.
 I began searching for a new carbohydrate. Something sustaining yet exciting, that I wouldn't just eat all the time. A breakfast treat! Pancakes were boring, my muffins were old hat, muesli takes too long to chew-my jaw gets sore (joking but a little bit serious). After trawling through a myriad of books and magazines I found Crumpets! In all their soft and holy glory.

Alright these aren't going to solve the clothes problem, they are filled with milk and delicious, delicious butter but they did solve my restlessness.  They are also very rewarding to make and surprisingly simple. They remind me of being little, my mother used to buy them if we were extra good (or she was too exhausted with us four to make dinner) and smother them with butter and honey.
 I can't deprive you of the recipe any longer, if you are even there, are you? I spect not, but here it is anyway:

                                                               Crumpets
Makes 20 Crumpets

Ingredients
-750ml Milk
-7gms Dry Yeast
-1 Tsp Caster Sugar
-30gms Butter (finely diced) and extra for frying
-500gms (3 1/2 Cups) Plain Flour

Equipment
A large bowl, a pouring jug, A decent eggflip, A heavy based frypan, crumpet rings although egg rings or even scone cutters do the job if you are desperate.

How to:

Warm the Milk over a low heat until it reaches blood temperature and in a separate bowl dissolve the Yeast in two Tbs of it. If the milk is too hot you will kill the yeast, but if the milk is too cold the yeast won't activate so it requires some delicacy, I find it better to go under than over temperature. 

  Dissolve Sugar in remaining the Milk and stir in the Butter until melted and combined. Make sure the butter is softened or you might have a bit of hard time with this.

  Whisk Flour and Salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and stir the milk mixture  followed by the yeast. Mix until combined then cover and leave for an hour in a warm place. Your mixture should now be bubbly and thick but still able to be poured. Transfer to a jug.

  Grease your Crumpet Rings and a heavy bottomed Fry Pan with Butter. Heat over a medium flame, place the crumpet rings in the pan and fill then 3/4 full. Don't be tempted to go the whole hog because they rise quite alarmingly. 

  Cook for 6mins or until you begin to see holes atop the crumpet. Remove the rings and turn the crumpet over with an eggflip or something of the sort. Cook for another 2mins  or until the base has browned. Serve immediately with butter and honey or other delicious jams.

Notes:

  Thanks 'Feast' magazine and Matthew Evans for this gorgeous recipe. If you get sick of your wife in Tasmania I will always let you cook me crumpets.

•   If you have made too many for your little self, then wait until they have cooled and store them in your  fridge or freezer as they come up marvellously well toasted. 
•   If you are more Savory inclined omit the sugar and serve with Poached eggs or even just Vegemite and butter. 
•   If your crumpets are browning too fast on the bottom and not forming holes in time turn the heat down (although not too far as too low a heat with also affect hole formation).