Crumpets

Whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and warm milk and whisk vigorously until you have a very smooth, thick batter with no lumps. The batter at this stage should be notably thicker than pancake batter — more like a thick milkshake. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and leave to ferment at room temperature for 1–1.5 hours. The batter will rise, become very bubbly and frothy, and the volume will roughly double. The yeast activity is what creates the hole structure: when the batter hits the hot griddle, the CO2 dissolved in it rises and punches through the surface, forming the characteristic crumpet holes.

Dissolve the baking soda completely in 2 tablespoons of warm water, then stir it into the fermented batter quickly and thoroughly. The baking soda creates an immediate reaction with the acids from the yeast fermentation, producing extra CO2 bubbles — you will see the batter immediately become even frothier. This dual leavening (yeast + baking soda) is what gives crumpets their characteristic deep, open hole structure. Cook within 5–10 minutes of adding the baking soda, while the reaction is still active. The batter at this stage should be thick enough to hold its shape in the ring mold without flowing under the ring, but pourable — about the consistency of slightly-thinned yogurt.

Heat a flat griddle or heavy skillet over low-medium heat (325°F / 163°C). Butter the inside of 3.5-inch / 9 cm crumpet rings (or egg rings) generously. Place the rings on the griddle and butter the griddle surface lightly inside each ring. Fill each ring to about two-thirds full with batter — roughly 3–4 tablespoons. The batter should not overflow but should have room to rise. Cook uncovered for 8–12 minutes without disturbing. Within 2–3 minutes the surface will begin to set at the edges while the center remains liquid; over the next several minutes, bubbles will rise through the batter and burst on the surface, forming the characteristic holes. When the entire surface looks set and matte with a defined lacework of holes, and the top looks nearly dry (not shiny), remove the rings with tongs and flip the crumpets. Cook the second side for 1–2 minutes until the base is golden-crisp. Cool on a rack and toast before serving.