30 FEBRUARY 2021
HANDBOOK
YOU MIGHT THINK that all partnerships of
carbs and butter for breakfast are created
equal, but there’s one marriage to rule them
all: butter and crumpets. If you’ve never
had a crumpet, it’s easiest to explain what
it isn’t. It isn’t a pancake, a bread, or a cake.
It’s also not to be confused with its cousin,
the English muffin. While both are cooked
on a griddle or in a cast-iron pan, English
muffins are made with dough, while crum-
pets are made with a thick yeasted batter.
What makes a crumpet a crumpet are
the unique holes throughout the finished
product, which form during cooking as a
result of the leavening process. It affords a
texture that’s chewy and a little spongy on
the inside, crispy on the bottom. The
sponginess is instrumental in soaking up
butter, which is the crumpet’s inherent
purpose.
They’re a breakfast staple in Britain,
where they can be found premade in super-
markets, as well as in my native Australia
(where toasters have crumpet settings!).
But, like all good things, they’re even better
made from scratch. The only special equip-
ment needed are crumpet ring molds,
which are inexpensive and easily source-
able online.
Most crumpet recipes require two stages
of proofing. But who wants to wait two to
three hours to make crumpets for break-
fast? I experimented with a holy trinity of
buttermilk, instant yeast, and baking soda
to achieve the same—if not better—fluffy,
spongy, crisp results you want from a crum-
pet with only 45 minutes’ proofing time.
Plus, the addition of spelt flour gives it a
more satisfying chew and flavor.
Crumpets are glorious vehicles for sweet
and savory toppings, but the classic,
unadulterated topping combo is butter and
honey. From there, you can experiment
with a creamy base layer such as whipped
ricotta, crème fraîche, goat cheese, or mas-
carpone. Add sweet toppings like jam, curd,
or fruit compotes, or savory ones such as
gravlax, pickled shrimp, crabmeat, or
poached eggs with ham. Ultimately, there
are no rules; the crumpet is your canvas—
adorn it as you wish. —MELANIE HANSCHEQUICK CRUMPETS
MAKE THE BATTER
Prepare batter as directed; cover and let
stand at room temperature until surface of
batter is very bubbly, about 45 minutes.PREHEAT PAN AND RINGS
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over low.
Brush skillet with oil; spray ring molds with
cooking spray, and place in skillet to preheat.1 2REMOVE RINGS
Using tongs, carefully lift and remove each
ring mold, leaving crumpets in pan. Set ring
molds aside for next batch.3 4
ADD BATTER TO RINGS
Fill each ring mold halfway with batter. Cook
until surface is covered with small holes and
batter is dry around edges, about 8 minutes.FLIP CRUMPETS
Using a small spatula, carefully and quickly
flip crumpets.6FINISH COOKING
Cook crumpets until bottoms are golden
brown, 1 to 2 minutes.5