sourdough crumpets

I had a friend ask me if I had ever tried making crumpets.  I told him I had thought about it but never had tried.  In Seattle, there is a crumpet shop in the Pike Place Market that I always loved going to.  When I moved away, I did miss the crumpets.  You can get them from the grocery store now but they are just not the same.  My friends prompting was just enough impetus for me to try.

They were actually quite easy.  The one gotcha is that the griddle has to be at a low enough heat to cook them without burning but not so low that they do not cook.  A balancing act just like everything in life.  I will make them again but I always make too much batter.  Yes, the batter seems to refrigerate well but the crumpets are not hole filled during that "baking."  It just means they do not sop up the butter and honey in the same way.  They are still very yummy.

The real key is patience.  Just like most of life.

sourdough crumpets

sourdough starter

1 cup flour 

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup water

1 1/4 cup milk

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix the sourdough starter, 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup water in a non-metal bowl the night before or eight hours before you wish the crumpets.  Cover and let sit in a warm space.

The next morning, remove a couple tablespoons of starter for the next baking.  Add the 1/4 cup water, milk, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, sugar, and salt.  Cover and let sit in a warm place until spongy.  

Heat a griddle over low to medium low heat.  Grease metal rings.  I used round cookie cutters.  Add a small bit of oil to the griddle.  Place the rings on the griddle.  Fill the rings with the batter until about half full.  "Bake" until the top of the crumpet is dry.  The length of time this will take will depend on the heat of your griddle.  Not to hot to burn, remember.  

Make sure the crumpet is not stuck to the ring.  Turn the crumpet and remove the ring.  Let this side brown.

Eat with butter and honey.

I know these freeze well.  Next time I might bake them all at once and freeze what I do not eat.  That way I would get the holes!  Thoughts that come to me when I am typing.