I Luv Thermomix Crumpets

Who doesn't like crumpets?

These were for our breakfast yesterday. The recipe has evolved since I first made them and thanks to brazen for reminding me that I had purchased the heart-shaped "rings".

I first made crumpets more years ago than I care to remember, having seen a recipe in the Weekly Times. Don't know if they still have a cooking section.

The main modifications in the recipe use the ability of the Thermomix to warm the batter/dough on constant heat at 37°C, so do that for a few minutes before leaving to prove. The other addition is some bicarb soda just before cooking to add some extra carbon dioxide bubbles to make them more airy.

You don't need a Thermomix and you don't need heart-shaped "rings", but you will need to loosen the belt after.

Have fun

English-style Crumpets

Ingredients:

375g bakers flour
1/2 tsp caster sugar
1 heaped tsp dried yeast
about 300ml tepid milk
about 200ml tepid water
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
4 egg rings
Oil for greasing

Method:

Place 1 Tbsp of the flour, sugar and yeast into TM bowl with 100ml of the milk into the Thermomix bowl. Set to mix for 3 minutes at 37°C on speed 2. The mixture should start to become frothy.

Add remaining flour, milk, water, egg and salt. Mix for 10 seconds on speed 7.

The mixture should resemble a thick batter rather than a bread mix. Add some more tepid water and mix again at speed 7 if necessary. Then mix for 8 minutes at 37°C on speed 1.

Leave the mixture in the TM bowl to prove for about 1 hour or until the surface bubbles.

Add the bicarb soda and gradually increase the speed to beat at the mixture for 2 minutes at speed 5.

Oil the egg rings and frypan. Place the rings in the pan and heat for 1-2 minutes.

Pour batter into each ring and cook for 5 minutes, or until the surface has dried and is full of holes. You may need to puncture a few holes for visual effect if you like. Lift off the rings and turn the crumpets to cook on the other side for a minute or until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Clean and oil rings and frypan and repeat process until all batter has been used.

Serve warm with butter and your favourite topping.

The leftovers (ha ha ha !!) may be frozen with pieces of baking paper between crumpets and toasted as needed.