Crumpets + Tea

For my AP Euro class, we had an eighteenth century salon.  We were assigned to be a major person, from scientists to royalty, and discussed issues and matters at the person. I really enjoyed it because A) I love when we have group discussions B) I love the whole concept of a salon C) I got to be Mary Wollstonecraft, the mother of feminism and D) we had tea afterwards! 

Our teacher, who is my favorite teacher ever, let us bring in food that fit the era for extra credit. One thing you should know about me is when the chance for extra credit (especially easy extra credit) comes up, I'll grab it. So, I made crumpets and they were great!
 

Easy Peasy Crumpets

Crumpets, for those of you who don't know, are a staple in England for tea. They are very similar to English muffins (hence the name, English muffin) but a little fluffier and more biscuit like.

 

Ignore the honey, I just used it to top the crumpet I tested. :)

Ingredients:

1 lb (4 cups) plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 pint (2 cups) warm milk

1 heaped teaspoon dried yeast

2 tsp warm water

1/4 tsp baking soda

1. Sift the flour into a basin and add the salt. 
2. Heat the milk until tepid then dissolve the sugar in half of it, and sprinkle the yeast on top.  (Do not make the milk too warm for you will kill the yeast)
3. Leave for 10 minutes or until it froths up, then add to the center of the flour with the rest of the warm milk and beat very well for 5 or 10 minutes. 

4. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place.  I covered mine with plastic wrap and a dish towel and put it in the oven that had been heated to 100 degrees and then turned off, it rises faster in that way.  

Before

After!

5. Dissolve the baking soda in the warm water and add to the risen dough, then leave, covered, to rise again. There's no major difference from the first rise.
6. Grease baking rings or circular cookie cutters, and place on griddle. Drop mixture in. The key is for the dough to be a cross between batter and dough. 

7.  Let it cook until the bottom is set, and then remove the ring. Flip over and let them finish cooking.
8. Let cool and enjoy! Toast it, or not. We topped ours with peach jam homemade by Grammy, and sipped on some earl grey tea from Kylee, and also snacked on blueberry scones from Maddison. It was a very authentic, delicious tea at our 21st century, immature 11th graders salon. ;)

For the most part, these were easy to make! There's some waiting involved, which I hate, but it's worth it! I'd take a crumpet over an English muffin any day! I hope you feel as British as I did while cooking these! :)

xo
Hannah