Homemade Crumpets

Australians have a fond attachment to this bubbly, yeast-leavened version of the pancake. Crumpets are (or were) commonly eaten toasted for breakfast - smothered with butter and  honey or Vegemite!

Thank you dear Simon Marnie (ABC Radio) for sharing your love of this recipe with your audience. It makes me smile to think of you whipping these up at home for the family! I agree - the store-bought version has NOTHING on homemade crumpets!

makes about 12 (serves 4–6)

2 teaspoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar
310 ml (103/4 fl oz/11/4 cups) warm milk
250 g (9 oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
vegetable oil, for cooking (choose one with a mild flavour)

3 tablespoons drained stem ginger in syrup, very finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of the syrup
 250 g (9 oz/1 heaped cup) mascarpone cheese
4 ripe nectarines or small peaches, cut into thin wedges
golden syrup, maple syrup or honey, for drizzling


To make the crumpets, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) of the warm milk and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Cover with a clean tea towel (dish towel) and leave to sit in a warm place for 15 minutes, or until frothy.

Sift the flour and 1 teaspoon salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Whisk the remaining milk with the egg and pour into the well. Add the yeast mixture, then whisk to form a smooth, soft batter. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rest in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the batter has doubled in volume and is covered with bubbles. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with 1 tablespoon water and beat it into the batter. Leave to rest for a further 10 minutes before cooking.

Meanwhile, mix the chopped ginger and ginger syrup through the mascarpone cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil. Working in batches, carefully ladle 1/4 cupfuls of the crumpet batter into the pan, leaving space in between for spreading. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the top is completely covered with popped bubbles and is dry to touch. If you like, flip the crumpets over and cook for a further 30 seconds, or until just very lightly golden. Remove from the pan and cover with a tea towel to keep warm while you cook the remainder. (You can also cook the mixture inside egg rings for a less rustic result, but you will need to use a little less mixture in each one.)

Serve two or three crumpets per plate, topped with a dollop of ginger marscapone, some nectarine slices and a drizzle of golden syrup. You can reheat any leftover crumpets by toasting or grilling (broiling) them.

VARIATION: For a savoury breakfast, smear the hot crumpets with butter and Vegemite or Marmite and top with a poached egg.


PSSST! If you like the recipes from GRUB you are going to love my new book 
MILKBAR MEMORIES! Check it out HERE!


*Image above by the seriously lovely Photographer Steve Brown
Grub was published in 2007  by Murdoch Books and is currently out of print. Jane Lawson now owns the copyright of text and images which must not be used without permission.