Wholemeal Pikelets

Ingredients   350g strong bread flour,  1/2 tsp sugar, 400ml lukewarm water, 200ml lukewarm milk/buttermilk

Serves: 24 preparation: 1 1/2 hours


A pikelet is but half the size of a crumpet and is a deliciously flat, crispy treat that I remember making a lot as a child, but unlike crumpets, you very rarely see available to buy these days. These pikelets are PERFECT toasted with my lavender jam but I'm not going to lie to you - they don't look as pretty as those made with white flour which I'm trying to eat less of at the moment which is why I'm using wholemeal in this instance.


1) Sift the flour and sugar into a bowl and whisk in the warm water.


2) Gently warm the milk and whisk in. The mixture should have formed a fairly robust batter quite quickly but ensure it is whisked perfectly smooth.


3) Cover the dish with a warm, damp tea towel and leave it to prove somewhere warm for an hour.


4) Grease your ring *ahem* well and set in a frying pan or on a griddle to warm to a medium heat. Give the batter a stir as they're heating for about a minute.


5) Fill the rings with no more than 2 tablespoons of batter and cook for about 2 minutes. Touch the surface of the pikelet (carefully...) and if it feels relatively dry it's time to flip it over for 1 more minute.


You can eat the pikelets immediately from the griddle, but personally I prefer to allow them to cool on a rack and then to toast them. I make these in this batch size and then freeze the ones I don't want to eat right away.