Recipe#6356

Title: ENGLISH CRUMPETS (BAKESTONE RECIPES)

SOAR

   4       oz           All-purpose flour
   4       oz           Bread flour
   2       ts           Salt
     1/4   oz           Fresh yeast
   1       t            Sugar
     1/2   pt           Warm water
   1       tb           Vegetable oil
     1/2   ts           Bicarbonate of soda
     1/4   pt           Warm water
  Sift the flours and salt into a warm bowl.  Cream the
  yeast with the sugar. Add the warmed water, then the
  oil.  Stir into the flour to make a batter, and beat
  vigorously until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl,
  put in a warm place and leave it until the mixture
  rises and the surface is full of bubbles (about 1 1/2
  hours).  Break it down by beating with a wooden spoon.
  Cover and leave in a warm place to prove for another
  30 minutes. To cook the crumpets, heat and grease the
  bakestone lightly.  Grease 5 or 6 crumpet rings (3-3
  1/2 inches) (or scone cutters) and put them on the
  bakestone to heat. Cook as many crumpets as possible
  at a time, as the batter will not stay bubbly for long.
  Put 1/2 inch deep of batter into each ring. Cook
  gently for 7 - 10 minutes, or until the surface sets
  and is full of tiny bubbles. Using an oven glove for
  protection, lift off the ring, and if the base of the
  crumpet is pale gold, flip it over and cook for
  another 3 minutes until the other side is just
  colored. If the crumpet batter is set but sticks
  slightly in the ring, push it out gently with the back
  of a wooden spoon.  Wipe, grease and heat the rings
  for each batch of crumpets.  If serving immediately,
  wrap the crumpets in a cloth and keep warm between
  batches. Butter generously and serve at once. If
  reheating, toast the crumpets under the grill, cooking
  the smooth surface first and then the top so that the
  butter will melt into the holes.