Is there anything more smug than serving up food that is a touch ‘extra’ to house guests?
Why slap store bought crumpets and butter on the breakfast table when you can have this crimson array of boujie?
Much easier than anyone will believe to pull together, and totally worth it for the kudos. This has Holiday weekend brunch written all over it!
Ingredients:
Crumpets:
170ml Whole Milk
130ml Water
200g Strong Bread Flour
1 ½ tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
½ tsp Fast Action Yeast
Brown Sugar Espresso Cranberry Compote:
250g Fresh/ frozen Cranberries
100g Light Muscovado Sugar
50ml Strong Espresso
10ml Coffee Liqueur
40ml Fresh Orange Juice
Ice Cream & Icing Sugar to serve
Method:
1. Begin with the crumpet batter. Add the milk and the water to a small pan and warm through to body temperature. Add ½ tsp of the sugar and the yeast and whisk with a fork. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour, remaining sugar, salt, and bicarbonate of soda. Pour in the yeast mixture, whisking as you go until you have a smooth lump free batter. Set this aside for 2-4 hours. The longer the better.
3. Meanwhile make the compote. Add the sugar and liquids, aside from the liqueur to a small pan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries and reduce to a simmer and bubble for 5-8 minutes or until the berries burst, lightly mash with a fork, and stir in the coffee liqueur. Set aside
4. Lightly grease 4 ring shaped moulds, something like 10-15cm in diameter. Even cookie cutters will work.
5. Heat a large skillet over a low heat and arrange the moulds inside. Pour in the batter and cook until holes appear on the surface. Remove and repeat with the remaining batter. Heat the grill to high.
6. Grill the crumpets, bubbled side up until toasted and serve with lashings of compote and ice cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
