Crumpets (English pancakes)
We stay in the atmosphere of candlemas and go to England with the english crumpet (crepes anglaises), it looks a lot like pancakes because of their thickness and our Baghrir (pancakes a thousand holes) because of the holes they form during cooking. These crumpets are very easy to prepare.
We sprinkle them with maple syrup or like us with homemade honey a real delight.
The ingredients:
- 425 g of sifted flour
- 1 tablespoon and a half of salt
- 2 teaspoons instant baker's yeast
- 300 ml warm water
- 300 ml warm milk
- butter patches
- homemade honey
Preparation:
1. In a salad bowl mix the salt and flour. Add the yeast and mix well.
2. Add the milk and water to the flour and whisk until the dough is smooth and liquid, cover with a cloth and leave to rest for 1 hour (the dough will double in volume).
3. Heat a pan (a pancake pan for me), grease the crumpet rings and put them on the pan.
4. Pour a small ladle of dough inside the circles, let cook over low heat until the top is dry, at this point the dough comes off easily from the circles.
5. Remove the circles (be careful it is hot) and turn the crumpets over.
6. enjoy the choice (jam, honey, butter etc...), personally, I have buttered my crumpets while they are still warm and sprinkled with homemade honey, a real treat.
English chocolate cake
Steamed pudding is a staple of British cuisine, with endless variations. This chocolate version was one of my English grandmother's favourite desserts.
Before you start
If you don't have a traditional pudding mould with an airtight lid, you can use an earthenware mould or a buttered foil-covered cul-de-poule instead, which is firmly attached with string.
A food processor or mixer will be very useful for this recipe.
Method
Generously butter a pudding pan. Prepare the coffee and let it cool.
Choose a pot or pan large enough to hold the pudding pan and put enough water in it to reach halfway up the pan.
Heat the water.
Coarsely chop the chocolate and place it with the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium power (50%) until the chocolate melts, but no more. Mix well and let cool for a few minutes.
In another bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar with a mixer until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the 2 mixtures and add the orange juice.
In a third bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and spices. Sift this mixture over the egg-chocolate mixture and fold in well with a wooden spoon. Add the coffee (cold) and vanilla, mix well, then pour the mixture into the buttered mould and cover.
Place the mould in the pan of hot water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the water simmers. Cook 1½ h, making sure that the water level is maintained throughout the cooking process. Remove the pan from the pan, let cool for a few minutes, then unmould the cake onto a serving plate.
Serve warm or lukewarm, accompanied by light custard.
Remarks
This dessert can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 7 days and can be reheated very well, either in a double boiler or in the microwave, one portion at a time.