In Victoria Redhed Millers book, From No-Knead to Sourdough: A Simper Approach to Handmade Bread she shows us how to create delicious, healthy breads in our own kitchen, no experience necessary. The book is broken down into comfort zones so there are recipes for all baking levels. It also includes gluten free recipes, pizza dough, bagels and much more. Today we offer a recipe for crumpets found in From No-knead to Sourdough.
Crumpets
Timing
- 5 minutes to measure ingredients and mix dough
- 4 to 5 hours to ferment dough
- 30 minutes to shape dough
- 6 to 8 minutes to bake
Equipment you’ll definitely need
- Large mixing bowl (stainless steel, glass, Pyrex, or ceramic)
- Whisk
- Crumpet rings (King Arthur Flour sells sets; substitute tuna cans with both ends removed)
- Griddle or large cast-iron skillet
Stuff that’s not absolutely necessary but recommended
- Kitchen scale
| Ingredients | Metric | US | Baker’s % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unchlorinated water, warm | 350 g | 1 1/2 cups | 127 |
| Milk, warmed to 110oF (43oC) | 230 g | 1 cup | 84 |
| SAF or other instant yeast | 4 g | 1 tsp | 1.4 |
| All-purpose or pastry flour | 275 g | 2 cups | 100 |
| Egg, large, beaten | 56 g | 1 | 20 |
| Sea salt | 3.5 g | 1/2 tsp | 1.2 |
Mixing the Batter
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a mixing bowl.
Add the warmed milk, flour, beaten egg, and salt.
Mix, using the whisk, until the batter is smooth and the consistency of heavy cream.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Fermenting the Batter
Let the crumpet batter ferment at room temperature for 2 hours, then move it to a warm spot, ideally 78°F (25°C) for another 2 to 3 hours. If you don’t have somewhere that warm to ferment the batter, just allow more fermentation time. The batter is ready to bake when it is full of bubbles.
Baking the Crumpets
Butter the crumpet rings and dust lightly with flour.
Heat the griddle to about 400°F (204°C); at the correct heat, a drop of water will sizzle on the griddle surface but not explode.
Oil the griddle lightly, and put as many crumpet rings on the griddle as will fit without crowding.
Pour the crumpet batter into each ring to about ½” (1 cm) deep.
The bubbles in the batter will start to break open as the crumpets cook. When the tops of the crumpets are set, in about 4 to 6 minutes, lift off the rings, turn the crumpets, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from the griddle, and serve warm, or cool on a wire rack.
