Hello there! If you’re a Brit or an American who hasn’t yet tried crumpets, then you owe it to yourself to get acquainted with these delicious little breads. Where to buy crumpets near me? But before you dig into that first bite, we’ve got 10 tips for mastering the art of crumpets — including what they are, how to serve them up, and our favorite toppings! Enjoy…
1) What are Crumpets?
Crumpets look a bit like a cross between English Muffins and pancakes. They’re made from yeast-raised dough which is cooked on a griddle and baked in the oven. This gives them their signature bubbly tops – just like your favorite muffin. They’re deep-fried once they come out of the oven, so they’re extra crispy on the outside.
2) How to eat Crumpets
Crumpets are traditionally served with butter and lemon juice (one of our favorite toppings!) but you can also get your fill of crumpets by spreading them with jam, or topping them with cream cheese. They’re no frills, but we think that’s part of their charm!
3) What does a crumpet look like?
Here’s a pic!… We’d rather show you a video: Sign up for YouTube Red by July 4th for uninterrupted HD streaming of all four home teams games and hit play below…
4) Where can I find Crumpets?
Now that you know what to look for and how to eat them properly, getting to grips with the question “where can I find crumpets?” is easy. Visit your local bakery, grab one of their signature pastries, and head to the nearest cafe. In the U.K., visit a tea shop or a little crumpet lady — who knows, you could even buy some and ship them home! You can also pop over to our International section on Brit & Co , where we’ve highlighted our favorite places to discover crumpets in other countries. And, if you’re in California, you can find them at celebrity chef Ina Garten’s first restaurant, The Barefoot Contessa.
5) How to make your own Crumpets
If you feel like getting your hands dirty and cooking some crumpets at home, we’re happy to share the recipe with you. You’ll need:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt
2 tbsp of sugar
2 tbsp of melted butter
½ cup warm water
1 pouch (7g) dry yeast
4½ cups of milk (alternatively, use 3 cups soy milk or almond milk)
Sift the flour into a bowl and mix in a pinch of salt. Add the sugar, butter and dry yeast. Mix in a little of the warm water and then bring the mixture together with your hands. Gradually add enough of the milk, making sure you keep adding it a little at a time, until you have a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Knead for ten minutes – it’ll be quite sticky at first but will become less so as you knead. Leave to rest for an hour in a warm place (preferably not in direct sunlight!) before making into crumpets. Preheat the oven to 450º Fahrenheit (230º Celcius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Knead again for five minutes on a floured surface before dividing into 2-3 balls each. Shape the balls into crumpets, making sure they’re at least 1½ inches thick and 5 ½ inches in diameter. Leave to rest for ten minutes before cooking. Brush the tops of the crumpets with milk and bake for about 20 minutes, turning over halfway through. Turn the oven up to 500º Fahrenheit (260º Celcius) and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before frying – this helps them stay crunchy! You can fry them in oil or butter, or you could get creative with leftover bacon fat…
6) The Origin of the Crumpet
According to legend, the first crumpets were cooked up by a mysterious couple named Tom and Jo in order to help their sick daughter. The original recipe took three days to make, but ours only takes 30 minutes! The easiest version is the one below.
7) How long do you refrigerate bread?
When I was a kid, my mom used to make this for us…. It was our favorite! In fact, it became a family tradition. Now that I have kids of my own, we still cook this and serve it hot with butter and honey. When I make the bread, it’s a very simple recipe. The bread is warm from the oven and smells so good. We let our bread cool for about 20 minutes before we serve it. It’s a great breakfast!
8) What’s the best way to store bread?
You need to keep them well wrapped in between uses in order to extend their lifespan. My mom used to always wrap her loaves with newspaper and keep them in a plastic bag or sealable container in the refrigerator when they were not being used. It took us a while to get on board… You can also freeze bread, which will give it a slightly stale crunch if you don’t have time to eat it right away.
Summary:
Make your paninis as soon as you get home and you will have delicious, hot sandwiches ready to eat whenever you are hungry. These sandwiches freeze well and can be reheated in a microwave oven. You can also make them in advance and quickly grill them just before serving.
