Fluffy Crumpets

At this time, 41 years ago, I was expecting my first child. My OB/GYN was a fantastic person. He was the on-call physician for a local women’s prison, and the County Coroner. Sometimes I sat in the waiting room with a group of orange-clad ladies whose legs and hands were cuffed. I’m sure he made each of them feel as valued as he made me, a pregnant newlywed college student, even though I wasn’t very settled with all the new changes in my life.

He loved to talk about food! He was dependent on his wife’s cooking, and had had mishaps with the microwave. One day, he asked, “Have you ever had crumpets?” He had tasted them during a college semester in England, many years ago, even then. “Crumpets!” He said, were “So much better than English Muffins!” He went on to tell me he couldn’t believe that Americans didn’t eat crumpets exclusively.

I filed that away and looked for crumpets. I never found them in the following 18 years in Western New York. I did find them in MI, and I was unimpressed. I figured he must have enjoyed them fresh off the griddle, or out of the oven, or wherever crumpets came from.

Recently I found a recipe by Chef Zouhair, and I tried it on a not-so-busy morning. A friend expected they’d taste like muffins. I thought they more closely resembled pancakes.

I made eight, and there was still more batter, but Honey, the dog, and I were at our limits, and the rest of it got tossed. I didn’t envision us toasting the leftovers.

Partway in, I thought to add more flour to the mix. I used 1/2 cup more, and the crumpets had a bit more height. I found them heavier tasting than they looked. My husband liked them. He hadn’t known what to expect, and was a good sport. I think maybe I’d add an egg next time to really make them fluffy. I’m not English, and I can’t make comparisons, except to store-bought English Muffins. I’d love to know how you feel about this recipe after you try it!

This seems the kind of recipe you could mess around with, to make sweet or savory. They’d be heavier than Korean Pancakes full of vegetables, and could do well with the same things you’d put on crepes. They were easy to mix up, and there was plenty for all of us.

FLUFFY CRUMPETS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 Egg                                                   2 Tablespoons Oil

3 Tbsp Castor sugar                       2 Tsp Baking Powder

*1 Cup Flour                                       ½ Tsp Vanilla Essence

1 Cup of Milk                                       Pinch of Salt

STEPS

1.       Beat together egg and sugar.

2.       Add vanilla, oil and salt-beat.

3.       Add flour and milk and beat until smooth.

4.       Lastly add baking powder and beat for just a few seconds.

5.       Grease and heat a pan.

6.       Using a ladle pour the batter onto the hot pan.

7.       Once you see bubbles, it can be turned.

8.       Cook on medium heat.