Crumpets

So I've been researching recipes from The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum before purchasing this book. I checked out two versions of The Bread Bible (the original edition and an edition of 300 favorite recipes) from my local library. I'm excited to be trying this crumpets recipe.





Ingredients:


unbleached all-purpose flour: 1 cup plus 1 & 1/2 tablespoons (156 grams)
nonfat dry milk: 2 tablespoons (20 grams)
instant yeast: 1 teaspoon (3.2 grams)
sugar: 1/2 teaspoon
salt: 1/2 teaspoon (3.5 grams)
water, at room temperature or warm: 3/4 cup liquid plus 2 tablespoons, divided (198 grams)
baking soda: 1/4 teaspoon
melted butter: 1 teaspoon (4 grams)


Time schedule: 
1.5 hours


Necessary equipment: 
Heavy-Duty Stand Mixer
Griddle or Cast Iron Skillet or Heavy Pan
6 4-inch-by-1/4-inch-high rings


The Instructions:
1. Mix the batter. 
Mix the flour, nonfat dry milk, instant yeast, sugar and salt together in a Kitchen-Aid mixer with the paddle attachment. Add 3/4 cup water (198 grams minus 2 tablespoons). Raise the speed slowly until you are at the middle setting. Beat about five minutes, or until smooth.


2. Let the batter rise.
Scrape the batter into a 1 quart-sized bowl. Allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled.


3. Add the baking soda and the remaining water; let the dough rise again.
In a separate bowl, mix the baking soda and remaining 2 tablespoons water together. Stir the baking soda mixture into the dough, which will deflate it. Allow the dough to rise until almost doubled (about 30 minutes).


4. Preheat the griddle or frying pan.
If using an electric griddle, preheat it to 275F. If using a skillet, heat it over low heat until a drop of water sizzles when added.


5. Fry the crumpets.
Brush the griddle or pan and the inside of the crumpet rings lightly with the melted butter or coat the rings liberally with cooking spray. Place the rings in the pan and, using a ladle or spoon, fill the rings about two-thirds up the rim. The batter will puff up to the top while it cooks. Once the crumpet is dull on top, it should be nicely browned on bottom. Then turn the crumpets over and cook on the other side until it is also browned.


6. Cool the crumpets.
Remove the crumpets from the rings, using a knife if necessary, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.


Store: The crumpets can be stored overnight in a paper bag or frozen, well wrapped, for up to three months. Thaw before toasting.


Serve: Toast the crumpets until they are warmed through and the outsides are crispy.


The Process:

Measured everything out: Water, flour (I used whole wheat), Nonfat Dry Milk,
Baking Soda, Salt, Yeast, Melted Butter

Dough mixed and reading for first rising.

Post first rise.

Adding the Baking Soda flattened the dough, but now it's ready for the second rise.

Post second rise. If you watch the dough here, bubbles will rise through it.

To form the crumpets, brush the melted butter around the edge of the cookie cutter and ladle dough into the middle. I filled my cutters too full and only obtained five crumpets from my dough, so aim for a little less fill than shown. The crumpet here is shiny and not ready to be flipped yet.

This crumpet has turned dull on top, meaning it is ready to be flipped over to brown on the topside.

Completed crumpets cooling. Mine turned out quite fat, so I had to brown them  a bit longer than I otherwise would have.

A toasted crumpet. 

Results:
These were fantastic, homemade crumpets. I only wish that the recipe made more than six crumpets. I enjoyed mine with almond butter, but they would probably taste good with just butter or peanut butter. They could be used for an egg breakfast sandwich or taste fine toasted and consumed plain, too. 


My Tips & Suggestions:

• I substituted whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour and it worked without a hitch. Usually when I substitute whole wheat flour for something, the recipe turns out dense, but these crumpets were light and spongy.
• Make sure that you grease the cookie cutter well all the way to the top, or else pieces of the crumpet will stick to the cutter when you try to remove them.
• Don't overfill the cookie cutters, as then you'll only get five and you'll be forced to over brown them in order to cook the middles.
• If you don't use the "bagel" setting on the toaster, you're apt to burn the outside of your crumpet.