I've tried a number of different recipes over the years but always come back to this one, a variation of Bill Granger's crumpet recipe.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
5 grams dried all purpose yeast
375g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
200ml water
Method
Heat the milk until tepid and stir in the sugar and yeast. Make sure the milk is not too hot otherwise it will kill the yeast. Leave to stand for 10 minutes or so until the yeast has started to rise and bubble.
Sift the flour and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Make a well in the centre and gradually add the yeast and milk. Beat until completely smooth. Cover and leave in a warm place for an hour or so until doubled in size and very bubbly.
Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the water. Using the electric beaters, add to the yeast batter.
Heat a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Grease the pan with melted butter then grease 3 or 4 metal rings (the number depends on how many you can easily fit into the pan without them being too crowded). Lower the heat to low.
Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the rings and cook very slowly for 5 minute or so until the surface is full of large bubbles.
Remove the rings and turn the crumpets over to cook the other side. This should only take a minute or so.
Place on a clean tea towel and cover to keep warm.