English Crumpets

Something I always wanted to replicate. I see it in the supermarket all the time.

They have those lovely little holes, soft and are amazing with some clotted cream, peanut butter and jelly, or simply butter.

Something that becomes even better after you toast it.

What you need (adapted from greatpartyrecipes.com):

• 1/2 cup of warm water
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• 1 tbsp of dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups of warm milk

1. Combine warm water and honey, let dissolve, add yeast, set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Add flour, salt, baking powder, mix, add yeast mixture and milk.

3. Knead and let rise for an hour.

4. Pour into crumpet rings - I used an old tin - after greasing pan and rings.

5. Fry on medium heat, 7 minutes on each side, or until browned. There should be bubbles forming. If not, maybe you're heating them too fast so turn down the heat. Take your time.

6. Toast them and melt some buuuutter on them.

And this is my very own, gorilla shaped crumpet.

English Muffins

Works great with Eggs Benedict. Little dough patties that you fry on a skillet. They are deliciously scrumptious. This recipe has worked out great for me. Slightly sweet, with a fermenting smell in the air.

This is the celebratory first yeast involving recipe on my blog and I'm very excited.

Try it out. At high tea with some cheddar, you will have the most British experience of your life time. Eat it along with a nice cup of tea of course (I suggest Lady Gray).

So here it is.

What you need:

• Time: Hour 'n' a half.
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of dry yeast (find it in any supermarket - I recommend Fleischmann's)
• Some warm water
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• Flour (round about 4 cups - more or less)
• Corn flour (yellow)
• Some salt

1. In a saucepan, heat up the milk and add sugar to dissolve it.

2. Set aside a cup of warm water and add dry yeast. Stir. 10 minutes.

3. Melt butter, and add it to a big bowl along with milk and foamy dry yeast and warm water. Add a pinch of salt.

4. Slowly sprinkle flour until a soft dough is created. Shouldn't be sticky, but it should still flow to the sides of the bowl. Set aside for an hour.

5. The dough should have risen, doubled in size or more. Punch it, or make fun of it.

6. Roll out on surface. Should be 1cm thick. Cut out muffins with a cup or something. Don't forget to sprinkle lots of flour on surface. Can get sticky.

7. Place on waxy paper and sprinkle corn flour generously on them.

8. Oil and heat up skillet or large flat frying pan and fry muffins on each side for about 10 minutes until gold brown.