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How To make Crumpets and Muffins (English)
*INGREDIENTS* 1 qt Water
2 oz Yeast
1/2 lb Potatoes
1/2 oz Salt
Flour *DIRECTIONS* MUFFINS: Wash, peel and boil the potatoes, rub through a colander, add the water (just warm enough to bear the hand in it without discomfort); then dissolve the yeast and salt in it, and stir in sufficient flour to make a moist paste. Beat it well in a deep bowl and then clear off the paste from the hands; cover over with a clean cloth and leave it to rise in a warm place. When it has well risen, and is light and spongy, turn it out on the table, dredge over with flour, and then divide it off into pieces about 3 oz in weight, roll them up into round shapes, and set them on a wooden tray, well dusted with flour to prove. When light enough, see that the hot plate is hot, and then carefully transfer the muffins from the tray, one at a time, using a thin tin slice for the purpose, taking particular care not to knock out the proof or the muffins will be spoilt. When they have been properly cooked on one side, turn over with the slice and cook the other side. When the muffins are done, brush off the flour, and lay them on a clean clothe or sieve to cool. To toast them, divide the edge of the muffin all round by pulling it open to the depth of about 1 inch with the fingers. Put it on a toasting fork and hold it before a clear fire till one side is nicely browned, but not burnt; turn, and toast it on the other. Do not toast them too quickly, otherwise the middle of the muffin will not be warmed through. When done, divide them by pulling them open; butter them slighlty on both sides, put them together again, and cut them into halves. Pile on a hot dish and send quickly to table. Time: 25 to 30 minutes to bake. Sufficient for about 2 dozen muffins. CRUMPETS: Proceed exactly the same as directed for Muffins (above), but stir in only half the quantity of flour used for them, so that the mixture is more of a batter than a sponge. Cover over, and leave for 1/2 an hour. At the end of that time take a large wooden spoon and well beat up the batter, leave in the spoon, cover over, and leave for another 1/2 an hour. Then give the batter another good beat up. This process must be repeated 3 times with the intervals. When completed, see that the hot plate is quite hot, lay out some crumpet rings rubbed over inside with a little clean lard on a baking tin, and pour in sufficient of the batter to make the crumpets. When cooked on one side, turn over with a palette-knife, and when done take off on to a clean cloth to cool. Muffins and crumpets should always be served on separate dishes, and both toasted and served as quickly as possible. Time: about 20 minutes to cook. Sufficient for about 2 dozen crumpets. From: Mrs. Beeton's All About Cookery, Ward, Lock & Co., Ltd., London & Melbourne, (circa 1890's) Shared by June Hoffman, 7/93
How To make Crumpets and Muffins (English)'s Videos
Crumpets Recipe - from a crumpet producer!
This is the crumpet recipe released by Warburtons, the UK's biggest commercial crumpet maker. It's a dead ringer for store bought, with the signature holes, distinct rubbery texture, perfect for toasting. If you've ever wanted to know how to make a crumpet, this is going to blow your mind. The batter is so easy!
English Crumpets Recipe
Crumpets are an English favourite, toasted for breakfast or tea, slathered in butter, sometimes served with a dollop of jam or a scraping of Marmite. Don't confuse them with muffins - English crumpets have distinctive holes in the top so the overall texture is a bit like a sponge. You ight think making proper crumpets is hard - it really isn't, but like all yeast-based recipes, crumpets need time to rise, and you need the patience to wait. But home-made crumpets are a world away from the commercial ones, so make some time, and make some crumpets!
Get the written / printable recipe for crumpets on my website:
Staffordshire oatcakes also have lots of little holes in the top:
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Authentic Homemade English Crumpets
Crispy, chewy and delicately spongy in texture with a delicious depth of yeasty flavor, you simply can’t beat these authentic homemade crumpets!
GET THE FULL RECIPE ON THE BLOG:
What are English Crumpets? (not English Muffins)
Tina Jesson introduces traditional English crumpets on IndyStyle TV
How to make Proper Traditional Authentic English Muffins
This recipe for traditional English breakfast muffins is easy and produces a super light, fluffy, and flavourful muffin. Learn how to shape the English muffins the traditional way!
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In my mind muffins would have been baked on the hot plate on top of a Rayburn, Aga, or perhaps a griddle over an open fire / coals. So I doubt that these would have been cut using a pastry cutter. I believe they would have been rolled as small bread (rolls) and baked over direct heat, using a cast iron pan or some kind of griddle. I am guessing these predated traditional oven-baked bread as we know it.
To get a really good rise from your muffin and avoid pinching the edge of the dough, steer clear of using a pastry cutter. Roll the dough into small rolls, about 100g each and proof them as if for burger buns. When they are well proofed you can dip them in the semolina flour and then griddle them. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions!
I like a deep muffin so prefer to use a combination of a cast iron pan on the hob, and placing the pan in the oven. This gives me an even cook and ensures the middle outside is cooked and doesn’t end up with an all too common raw ring around the middle.
Many people say these were originally opened with a fork to give a textured surface. I am not sure if this is true but it does give a magnificent crumb once toasted.
The dough benefits from a bulk-proof overnight in the fridge which gives the bread some complexity in flavour. Traditionally milk wouldn’t have been used but does give a super soft crumb and help with freshness.
This recipe makes just under 900g of dough. I like to weigh the dough after the first proof and then divide it by 9. This makes for a good size muffin and they all fit on my large baking tray together to proof.
Make a big batch and after they have cooled to room temp you can keep them in the freezer.
I am using 13.2% protein flour. You can use flour with a lower protein content or a mixture of flour to get different results. Just remember that the consistency of the dough will change depending on your choice of flour. This is not an issue but something to recognise as you are working with the dough. Understanding your ingredients and how they perform will help with future bakes!
Recipe:
Oven temp: 175c on bake mode
500g White flour
375g Milk 3.5%
8g sachet of instant yeast
10g of sea salt
Total dough weight: 893g
Making Pikelets & Crumpets (And Why They Differ From English Muffins) - Collab With Africa Everyday
Most usually, I just buy crumpets from the supermarket or bakery. Today I'm going to make them from scratch.
This video is a collab with Babatunde from Africa Everyday - his video can be found here:
The recipe I am sort-of-following (I veered off a bit on a whim) is here:
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