English Crumpets (bakestone Recipes)

Servings: 4
Ingredients:

4 oz All-purpose flour
4 oz Bread flour
2 t  Salt
1/4 oz Fresh yeast
1 t  Sugar
1/2 pt Warm milk and water
1 T  Vegetable oil
1/2 t  Bicarbonate of soda
1/4 pt Warm water

Sift the flours and salty into a warm bowl. Cream the yeast with the
sugar. Add the warmed milk and water, then the oil. Stir into the flour
to make a batter, and beat vigorously until smooth and elastic. Cover the
bowl, put in a warm place and leave it until the mixture rises and the
surface is full of bubbles (about 1 1/2 hours). Break it down by beating
with a wooden spoon. Cover and leave in a warm place to prove for another
30 minutes. — To cook the crumpets, heat and grease the bakestone
lightly. Grease 5 or 6 crumpet rings (3-3 1/2 inches) (or scone cutters)
and put them on the bakestone to heat. Cook as many crumpets as possible
at a time, as the batter will not stay bubbly for long. — Put 1/2 inch
deep of batter into each ring. Cook gently for 7 - 10 minutes, or until
the surface sets and is full of tiny bubbles. Using an oven glove for
protection, lift off the ring, and if the base of the crumpet is pale
gold, flip it over and cook for another 3 minutes until the other side is
just colored. If the crumpet batter is set but sticks slightly in the
ring, push it out gently with the back of a wooden spoon. Wipe, grease
and heat the rings for each batch of crumpets. If serving immediately,
wrap the crumpets in a cloth and keep warm between batches. Butter
generously and serve at once. If reheating, toast the crumpets under the
grill, cooking the smooth surface first and then the top so that the
butter will melt into the holes.