Crumpets

Total Time: 1 hr 37 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients

• 7 1/8 ounces unsifted unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 fluid ounces whole milk
• 2 1/8 teaspoons dried yeast
• 1 pinch baking soda
• fat (for frying)

Recipe

• 1 sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
• 2 gently warm the milk to just hand hot and sprinkle on the dried yeast.
• 3 leave to stand for 10 or 15 minutes until frothy.
• 4 add the yeast mix to the flour and beat to a smooth batter.
• 5 cover with a damp cloth and leave to stand in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until the batter has doubled in size.
• 6 dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon of warm water and beat it into the batter.
• 7 cover again and leave to stand for a further 20 minutes.
• 8 place a 3 inch metal pastry cutter into a hot greased frying pan.
• 9 pour in about tablespoonful of the batter to cover the base thinly.
• 10 cook until the top is set and the bubbles have burst.
• 11 remove it from the ring, turn the crumpet over and cook the other side for 2 or 3 minutes only.
• 12 it should just colour slightly.
• 13 cool on a wire rack.
• 14 eat them hot, or leave to go cold and toast them until golden brown on both sides.
• 15 slather them with marmalade or your favourite jam.