The humble crumpet may seem simple, but mastering a memorable one is trickier than most people think. Crafting the perfect crumpet involves choosing the right grade of flour, fermenting the batter for the correct amount of time to achieve the all-important holes, and resting the batter for a fluffy (and not too chewy) texture. Ian Endfield, founder of Jones’ Crumpets, has mastered it all. His crumpets have starred in Ottolenghi restaurant Rovi’s signature crumpet lobster toast (now no longer on the menu), are served on the breakfast menu at Serra (part of high-end Mayfair hotel The Chancery Rosewood) and draw queues at weekend markets.
Endfield’s crumpet devotion began in 2012. “I saw crumpets on the menu with blueberry butter, and that specific twist really caught my attention – it wasn't just saying butter and jam,” he says. “It sparked an idea that crumpets could be something you build upon at any time of day.” The intrigue grew, and a few years later, he decided to start his own crumpet business. Nine months of development resulted in a unique recipe ready to bring to the public, and in early 2017 he hosted a three-course Middle Eastern-inspired meal, with each course featuring crumpets. “We served pumpkin soup with crumpet croutons, a spiced shakshuka-style main, and mini crumpet baklava for dessert,” says Endfield – and he found the response overwhelmingly positive.
A bite into a Jones’ Crumpets Classic Crumpet is surprising, if you’ve only ever tried supermarket varieties. There’s a more bread-like texture with a strong crumb (as opposed to the chewiness of their mass-produced counterparts), yet the right amount of airiness for the butter to soak in. You’ll also pick up on a subtle buttery profile – even though there is no dairy. “It is quite strange how the crumpets have achieved the buttery taste; it might come from the caramelisation of the base when cooking or the fermentation process,” speculates Endfield.
Endfield has boiled down the ideal crumpet process into a few key principles. “The strength of flour, the griddle temperature, and making sure that you use enough but not too much oil in your rings, so that they can come off quite easily is the key,” he says. He also found that cooling the crumpets makes all the difference. “The cooling was my first eureka moment; they need to be cool to the touch, otherwise they’re stodgy, not solid or structured in the middle.”
What’s next for Jones’ Crumpets? Aside from being on menus across London and available fresh at markets including Primrose Hill on Saturdays and Marylebone and Queen’s Park on Sundays, they’re available to order from the brand’s website. A brick-and-mortar location is also on the cards in London; Endfield dreams of a place where people can “grab a crumpet with a topping, similar to an espresso in Italy”. He’s also continually seeking to push the crumpet boundaries; alternative flavours available on his website include dark chocolate, double cheese, and cheese and chive. He creates each variety with the same aim: that his crumpets are the equivalent of to “biting into a fresh baked croissant from the patisserie or proper bakery.”
jonescrumpets.com
@jonescrumpets
London Pantry is a series celebrating ingredients made by London’s greatest producers that have gone from cult classics to kitchen staples.
