Crumpets are a sort of cousin to English muffins, but a lot easier to make. They are sort of a spongy bread that is best served hot with butter, jam or even Marmite. They are pretty simple to make and the only thing you’ll need to buy are crumpet rings (also called muffin rings). You cook them on a hot griddle or a cast iron pan on the stove.

This recipe follows from one given by Lidey Heuck in the New York Times. You can stir up the batter in a few minutes, but you need to let it rise for around an hour before using it.

• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• Unsalted butter for greasing the rings and griddle

1. Heat the milk in a glass pitcher or bowl for about 30 seconds at half power until it is warm to the touch. Stir in the yeast and sugar and set aside until it is bubbly.
2. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Gradually add the milk and warm water, stirring with a whisk. Mix until you have a runny, sticky batter.
3. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for an hour until you have a bubbly dough that has doubled in volume.

1. Heat a griddle to 375˚F and melt a Tb of butter on the griddle.
2. Butter the muffin rings and set on the griddle to heat up.
3. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into each ring. Scrape all of the batter in the cup into each ring, but if there is a lot clinging to the outside of the cup, don’t include it: it makes the crumpets too thick. Turn the griddle down a bit if the butter begins to smoke.

1. Cook for 4-6 minutes until bubbles rise. Then lift the rings away and turn the crumpets and cook for 2 minutes or so, until browned.
2. Serve hot with butter and jam or marmalade.

You can keep left-over crumpets in a bag in the breadbox, or in the refrigerator. You can even freeze them.

You can split cold crumpets in two much like an English muffin, and heat them in the toaster and butter them.
In fact, you can serve them with poached eggs, or make them into Eggs Benedict by adding ham under the eggs and topping with Hollandaise. They actually work better for this than English muffins do, because they aren’t as tough as English muffins, and are easier to eat with a knife and fork.

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