Surprisingly easy to make, sourdough crumpets come together quickly for a simple breakfast bread. I lean on this recipe on busy mornings because they require only four simple ingredients that I always have on hand: starter, salt, baking soda, and butter. Crumpets are yeasty little griddle cakes that, when split open, reveal plenty of nooks and crannies in their crumb, perfect for collecting jam and melted butter. The air bubbles that form the crumpet’s characteristic texture develop as a result of a simple chemical reaction: the combination of acidic sourdough starter with alkaline baking soda. Because the chemical reaction that gives crumpets their bubbles happens instantly, take care to use the batter quickly after mixing it. To serve the crumpets, split them in half, toast them, and spread them with butter and jam.
MAKES: ABOUT 8
INGREDEINTS:
- 2 cups sourdough starter
- 1 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Butter two egg rings and set them aside.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Pour the sourdough starter into a mixing bowl and beat in the salt and baking soda. The acidity of your starter will combine with the baking soda and your batter will start to puff and bubble, so don’t abandon the batter and work quickly.
- Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When it froths, set the rings in the pan and pour 2 tablespoons of batter into each mold. Allow the batter to cook until bubbles begin to appear in the center, about 3 minutes. Remove the ring molds, gently pushing out the crumpets, flip over the crumpets, and brown the other sides for about 2 minutes, until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Transfer the crumpets to a plate and continue cooking more until you exhaust the batter.
- Store any extra crumpets in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 days.
