Crumpet Toppings: Golden Syrup

When faced with a pack of 6 or 8 crumpets I do like to mix it up when it comes to the toppings.  Rather than simply relying on spreading the top with a thick layer of creamy butter, I’ll try to vary the toppings across the pack a bit.  While I’m not adventurous, it’s good to have something slightly different to “the norm” and “the easiest thing to spread on a crumpet, without thinking”. 

So, for the final two crumpets from my last pack, it was time to break out the golden syrup.  I’ve always got a jar of golden syrup in the cupboard as that gets used in my microwave flapjacks and also when I make a simple microwave syrup pudding.

I just use one teaspoon per crumpet – scooping it out with a hot teaspoon (using a hot teaspoon makes the syrup slide off the spoon a little easier), then using the back of the teaspoon to spread the syrup across the top of the crumpet.  Using the back of a spoon is a great kitchen tip for spreading a lot of wet/runny sandwich fillers or toast toppers.

Variations:

In addition to golden syrup on crumpets, sometimes I’ll add half a sliced banana too, if I’ve got one that needs using up!

When do you eat Crumpets?

For me it’s usually a snack food, it’s fast, it’s tasty – but I don’t really name meals.  I just eat food I fancy, at random times of the day.  Sometimes I’ll eat a meal once a day, then eat crumpets as a light meal, another day I might eat crumpets for two meals and consider those two main meals!  I mostly eat “little and often”, rather than larger/structured meal slots.

But, you can eat crumpets as a breakfast food, a light lunch, an appetiser if you’re going to be eating late in the evening, or even a late night supper about 10pm to “take the edge off” hunger before going to bed!  They’re timeless!

Costs:

This is a really frugal and tasty snack too.  Comfort food on a budget!  You can pick up crumpets for under £0.12 a pair – cheaper if you’ve room in the freezer for a 12-pack or so!  The golden syrup’s just a teaspoon per crumpet, so it’s probably a snack at a total cost of about £0.15.  Two crumpets is really a snack or light meal portion size.

It’s always difficult to put costs to a dish as everybody shops at different shops, but the main supermarkets at the time of writing are selling crumpets at:

• Sainsburys, pack of 8, 50p, 6.3p each.
• Asda, pack of 9, 50p, 5.6p each
• Tesco, pack of 8, 50p, 6.3p each
• Morrisons, pack of 6, 37p, 6.2p each
• Waitrose, pack of 8, 50p, 6.3p each
• Aldi, pack of 6, 37p, 6.2p each!

Freezing Crumpets – Can you Freeze Crumpets?: 

If you’ve bought crumpets you can simply open the freezer door and throw them in.  There’s no need to do anything else.  You don’t even have to open the packet if you don’t want to!

To use frozen crumpets you can defrost them in a microwave for 15 seconds first, or simply pop them into your toaster and toast from frozen.

It really is that simple.  Simple = good.