Nothing can make a rainy day as comforting as a plate of warm crumpets slathered with butter, and a cup of hot steaming tea. You must be thinking, sounds very comforting, but what exactly are crumpets. Unless you are from Europe, there are chances that you have never really heard about crumpets in your life. Just try these delicious griddle cakes once, and you're sure to ask for more. How to make crumpets, what to eat them with, are they healthy, must be some of the questions on your mind. Don't worry, you'll get to know in this Buzzle write-up as we acquaint you with this quintessential English comfort food. We will also give you a quick and easy crumpet recipe, it's nutritional value, and some tasty serving options. Imagine an English muffin and an American pancake. A crumpet comes somewhere in between. It tastes a little like a muffin, but is much lighter. It is made of flour and yeast, and has a spongy texture. A distinguishing character of a crumpet is the smooth round bottom, with holes on the top surface. You can call crumpet a flat round bread or cake with a chewy texture. Origin of crumpets can be traced to England. There are mentions of crompid cake from as early as 1382. Initially they were much harder, but since the Victorian era, baking powder is added to give them the spongy texture that makes them so desired. Most households in England and Scotland eat crumpets for breakfast or with afternoon tea. Crumpets are usually cooked on a griddle or a skillet using round mold, called crumpet rings. They are commonly cooked on one side. You can eat them fresh, or store them up to a month. Toasted crumpets taste delicious with their crispy cover and gooey inside. Crumpets are not cut in half when serving. The spongy texture absorbs butter easily making them a yummy succulent treat. You can serve crumpets with butter, peanut butter, jam, marmalade, lemon yogurt, melted cheese, honey, chocolate sauce, or even ice cream. So many options to try! When we say crumpet, it is assumed to be an English crumpet. They are the most popular type of crumpet. Although not very popular in the United States, you can get them in specialty stores, or make them at home. They are popularly eaten toasted with butter or jam. Square crumpets and pikelets are types of English crumpets. Square crumpets are made in a square mold, and are more convenient than the round ones. It is very easy to remove them using the corners when cooking; plus they also fit perfectly in standard toasters. Hence, retailers prefer them. You can easily get these in stores in UK, Australia and New Zealand. Pikelets are made without using any kind of mold. Thus, the batter spreads making them thinner than normal crumpets. They look more like pancakes. Scottish crumpets are thicker than English ones, and use same ingredients as a Scottish pancake. They are cooked on one side only, and immediately served. You cannot store them like their English counterparts. Most crumpet-makers add fruit to the batter when making Scottish crumpets. Ingredients ♨ All-purpose flour, 14 oz ♨ Lukewarm water, 12 oz ♨ Lukewarm milk, 8 oz ♨ Butter, melted, 1 oz. ♨ Instant yeast, 2 1/2 tsp. ♨ Salt, 1 1/4 tsp. ♨ Baking soda, 1 tsp. Instructions ♨ Mix the yeast, flour, water, milk, butter, and salt properly. ♨ Let the batter rest for an hour. Cover it using a moist cloth. ♨ Then, add baking soda, and let it rest for 30 minutes. ♨ The batter will expand and becoming bubbly. ♨ Now preheat the griddle to 325°F or medium low. ♨ You can also use a skillet if you don't have a griddle. ♨ Grease the pan and the crumpet rings properly. ♨ Place the rings on the griddle. ♨ Pour little batter in each ring, don't add too much as the batter will rise. ♨ After around 4 - 5 minutes you can remove the rings using tongs. ♨ Let them cook till the bottom becomes golden-brown. ♨ While some people prefer to cook their crumpets from both sides, others just cook one side. ♨ Your crumpets will be ready in 8-10 minutes. ♨ This recipe will give you around 20 medium-sized crumpets. ♨ Serve warm, or toasted with butter. There are 86 calories in a medium-sized crumpet, of which 59% come from carbohydrates, 26% from fats, and 15% from proteins. Crumpets aren't bad nutritionally, nor are they really good. They aren't really fatty, but since all the calories come from carbohydrates, you won't feel full for long. The exact calories you get will depend on the topping you use. Too much butter is definitely not a good idea. Switch butter for healthy fruit spreads or jams for a lighter version. Adding chocolate chips to the batter, or eating your crumpet with too much chocolate sauce is alright once in a while. You can also top your crumpets with veggies, herbs, and a little cheese for a healthy sandwich. Using yogurt, low-fat cream, low-sugar syrup, or diced fruits are some other options you can try to cut down on calories. It is perfectly alright to enjoy crumpets with the topping of your choice, as an occasional treat.