Crumpets
Makes 6-8

Please note:  You can always visit Gourmet Sleuth for conversions, although it’s easiest to use a scale to measure your ingredients!

225g plain flour ( 1 3/4 cups plus a a tablespoon)
1/2 packet (1 1/2 tsp) instant yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
175g milk (3/4 cup)
175g water (3/4 cup)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp soya lecithin powder (optional but it does help the bubbles)
1 tsp baking soda
4 crumpet rings or 7.5cm/3in plain pastry cutters, greased
Soft butter to grease rings

Mix all the ingredients together apart from the salt, soya lecithin powder and bicarbonate of soda and leave to ferment for 1-2 hours until it’s bubbly nicely. Once bubbly nicely mix in the salt, soya lecithin powder and baking soda.

Prepare a hotplate, cast-iron or heavy frying pan by gently heating. When the pan is hot enough lightly brush the area where you are going to place the first ring. Keep the temperature to a low heat.

Place the greased ring down and immediately ladle enough to fill the ring maximum 3/4 full. Don’t overfill as the mixture will bubble over.

Keep the batter refrigerated when not using, this will slow down the “bubbling” effect of the bicarbonate of soda and yeast (which is what you need when you come to cook your crumpets).

Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the mixture and the heat of the pan. Cook until the crumpet top has solidified and then remove the ring. Flip over and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Crumpets can be easily frozen and popped in the toaster whenever fancied.