Muffins WAS Re: Pies, puddings, biscuits and tarts + rolls, buns, muffins, ...

[bluesqueak]

<Snip>
> So, what's the difference between a crumpet and an (English) 
muffin?
> 
> Amy

Um. Well, muffins are yeast bread cooked on a griddle. The dough is 
breadlike in texture, kneaded and twice risen. Apart from the fact 
that they're griddle cakes, they're very 'bread bun' like. 

Muffins are not intended to be sweet in any way. Their purpose in 
life is to be toasted, and carry lots of butter. That's why they're 
twice risen - it makes the holes bigger. I think it's in 'Importance 
of Being Earnest' that one of the characters remarks that 'one can 
only eat muffins calmly.' Otherwise, the butter runs down your 
sleeve.

Crumpets, on the other hand, are a batter cake. Like muffins, 
they're cooked on a griddle, but they're actually a yeast non-sweet 
pancake.

When you cook crumpets, you need some of those egg cooking rings 
that they use in fast food places to get nice round fried eggs. You 
pour the batter into the ring. Because you've allowed the yeast to 
froth, you get bubbles rising to the surface of the batter and 
bursting.


I have a recipe for English home made crumpets, if anyone wants me 
to post it (Imperial and metric measurements, not U.S.)[grin]

Pip