Crumpets

English muffins are American and a poor approximation of English crumpets. These aren’t that hard to make and a good use of your starter discard.

Sourdough Crumpets

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Servings: 4 crumpets

Ingredients

  • 230 grams Discard sourdough starter (~1cup)
  • 4 grams sugar (1 tsp)
  • 3 grams salt (1/2 tsp)
  • 3 grams baking soda (1/2 tsp)

Instructions

  • Place the starter in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the sugar and salt, then the baking soda. The batter should rise up and bubble a bit, becoming almost billowy.
  • Heat your griddle over medium-low heat; 300°F is perfect. Lightly grease the surface with cooking oil (if your pan isn't non-stick), then melt a pat of butter atop the oil.
  • Lightly grease four English muffin rings (4" across) and place on the griddle. Divide the batter evenly among the rings. Each ring will take a generous 1/4 cup of batter; a generously heaped muffin scoop is the perfect tool for this task. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the tops are set and full of small holes. Carefully flip the crumpets over, remove the rings (they should pop right off), and continue to cook for about 3 minutes, until they're golden on the bottom. 
  • Enjoy the crumpets warm, split and spread with butter and jam. Or toast to brown and crisp them before serving.

And for a more complicated recipe….

Crumpets

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 227 grams whole milk, heated 110ºF – 115ºF (1 cup)
  • 4 grams sugar (1 tsp)
  • 9 grams active dry yeast (1 tbsp)
  • 180 grams all-purpose flour (1.5 cups)
  • 3 grams kosher salt (1 tsp)
  • 75 grams water (1/3 cup)
  • 3 grams baking soda (1/2 tsp)

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, sugar and yeast. Let them sit until the yeast starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and it stretches when you lift out the beater. Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free area until the mixture has doubled in size and is bubbly on top, about 1 hour.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the water and baking soda. Stir this mixture into the batter, then set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium low heat. Spray the surface lightly with nonstick cooking spray, and spray four 4-inch-diameter crumpet molds.
  • Place the molds in the skillet. Add 1/4-cup of the batter to the center of each mold and then cook until the bottoms are a deep golden brown and air bubbles have formed on the top, about 7-9 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to remove the molds, then turn the crumpets over to cook on the second side for about a minute.
  • Remove the crumpets to a plate or serving platter, then repeat until you have used all of the batter. 
  • Serve warm.