Traditional English crumpets

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of milk
• 3.5 cups premium flour
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1.5 cups of lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation:

1. First, heat the milk in a saucepan. It should be warm, not hot. Skim off any foam. Combine the warmed milk, flour, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Then add half the water and knead the dough. Continue adding more water until the dough becomes thick and smooth. Once the dough reaches the consistency of heavy cream, stop adding water.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm, draft-free place until the dough begins to bubble, about 1 hour or up to 2 hours (keep an eye on the dough).
4. Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan on the stovetop. It should be hot but not smoking. Stir in the salt and baking powder.
5. Dampen a paper towel with a little vegetable oil and grease the bottom of a frying pan and a doughnut (or cookie) ring approximately 8 x 4 cm in size. Place one ring on the heated frying pan and pour in enough batter to just barely reach the edges.
6. Fry for 5 minutes, until numerous tiny holes appear on the surface and the crumpet is set. Flip the crumpet (ring included) and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the crumpets on a wire rack to cool slightly.
8. To reheat, place them in a toaster or grill them in the oven before serving. Serve with plenty of butter and jam.