makes
12
prep
15 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Mid
makes
12
serves
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Stream free On Demand
The Cook Up with Adam Liaw
series • cooking
PG
series • cooking
PG
Ingredients
- 800 ml milk
- 40 g butter, plus extra for cooking
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 7 g dried yeast
- 500 g (3⅓ cups) plain flour
- Salt
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- Honey, to serve
For the whipped burnt butter
- 3 cups ice cubes
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 200 g butter
Resting time: 2 hours
Instructions
- Start with the browned butter. Fill a large stainless-steel bowl with the ice cubes and pour over the water. Find a second medium stainless-steel bowl that fits snugly into first bowl and set aside for the butter.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, swirling occasionally, to melt evenly. Continue to cook the butter until it begins to foam and darkens to a light brown, nutty colour (take care not to burn!) then immediately remove from the heat. Pour the browned butter into the second medium bowl, set over the ice cubes and whisk continuously until the butter thickens, becomes creamy and pale. The consistency should resemble whipped cream.
- To make the crumpet batter, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and allow to stand until the mixture is lukewarm.
- Combine the sugar and yeast in a medium bowl, then whisk in 200 ml of the milk-butter mixture, then stand for 4-5 minutes, until foamy.
- Combine the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then gradually add the yeasted milk and remaining milk mixture, mixing until smooth. Cover and stand for 1–1½ hours, or until very foamy.
- Dissolve the bicarb soda in 2½ tbs (50 ml) warm water, then add to the crumpet batter and mix well to combine. Cover and stand for a further 25-30 minutes – the mixture should be very bubbly.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add a little butter, then place buttered crumpet rings into the pan. Fill the rings two-thirds full with the crumpet batter and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until bubbles and small holes form on the surface of the crumpet and a skin forms.
- Remove the rings, then flip the crumpets and cook for 1 minute further, or until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with a tea towel and repeat with remaining batter. If the batter gets too thick, add a little splash of extra milk to thin it out.
- Serve the crumpets with the whipped brown butter and a drizzle of honey.
Note
Crumpet rings or English muffin rings can be purchased in kitchen stores or online. The rings used for this recipe were 10 cm diameter x 2.5 cm deep stainless-steel crumpet rings.
Photography by Jiwon Kim.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Stream free On Demand
The Cook Up with Adam Liaw
