toaster biscuits, and crumpets?
I was looking for round, bready objects that can be put into the toaster - and they’re all on the same shelf. And they look pretty much the same (except the crumpets said they needed to be refrigerated).
I bought the english muffins as they were cheaper… but what is the difference?
Real English crumpets have a rather different texture than English muffins (which are unknown in the UK). EMs are basically bread, whereas crumpets have a smoother texture, sort of like communion wafers, but a bit lighter.
I’ve no idea what toaster biscuits are – you’re on your own there.
I don’t know where you go to church, but crumpets bear no resemblence to communion wafers. “English” muffins are unknown here by that name, but “muffins” are common. You’re right that muffins are basically bread-like, so are nothing like American muffins.
This recipe might give you some idea of what we think of as muffins, and here’s a companion recipe for crumpets. A characteristic of crumpets is that they have holes in the upper surface that look almost as though they’ve been stabbed all over with a wooden skewer (but form naturally as part of the baking process). In fact, [url=“http://www3.telus.net/dkmiller/photoessays/2002_04_artsy/Pages/3.html”]here’s/url] a picture of a crumpet.
Both crumpets and muffins benefit from being toasted before eating – in fact crumpets are inedible unless you toast them IMHO.
Me neither.
‘English’ muffins are like a flat, rather doughy bread roll, often scored and forked about the perimeter so that they can be torn open, rather than sliced (this gives them a more crunchy texture when toasted).
Crumpets are thick spongy griddle cakes; the texture is very aerated and holey, but at the same time quite chewy and almost rubbery (but in a good way, unlikely as that might seem).
True English muffins (whatever that means) are made on a griddle, not baked. They are also made from a sponge, not a batter – the flour, milk, etc. is allowed to overrise so it’s full of air holes. They are then cooked on a griddle.
Home-made English muffins are very similar to crumpets. I suspect the name “English muffin” was created to describe crumpets and the original recipes were an attempt to make crumpets.
Store-bought English muffins can vary in texture. Thomas’ are closer to crumpets; others are more breadlike. And home-made ones taste like the store-bought ones after they’ve been sitting around for a few days.
I’m not sure about toaster biscuits; around here, there are “corn toasties” – a corn muffin shaped to fit into a toaster, but I’m not sure if that’s national or local.
[slight hijack]
Does the crumpet recipe actually work for someone who has never actually seen them made from scratch ?
[/slight hijack]
A picture of Toaster Biscuits for anyone who hasn’t seen them.
I’m not sure I’ve ever had one, but they are packaged exactly like the english muffins and the crumpets were.
But it seems that - despite the appearance - the crumpets should have been more airy or holey than the english muffins, right?
I’ve never made any from scratch so I’m afraid I couldn’t say. The link claims that they copied the recipe from Gary Rhodes, who is a TV chef over here. He’s a jerk IMHO, but knows what he’s doing in the kitchen.
According to RealityChuck’s comments, what you get over there aren’t much like what we get over here. There is a very significant difference in texture and taste between our muffins and our crumpets, in which case you’d be right.
Maybe I could’ve added a little more. The texture of a muffin is very breadlike but slightly chewier than a regular bread roll. It has flat surfaces on top and bottom from the pan or griddle you (or the baker) cook it on. You slice through the “equator” before toasting and add butter and/or a spread of your choice.
Crumpets have a distinct vertical grain running through that forms when the batter rises. The top surface is full of those holes you can see in the picture and has a crisp, almost glazed appearance between the holes when toasted. When you put butter on them it seeps through to the bottom surface and coats your fingers when you eat them.
