English Crumpets & Strawberry Jam

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl mix together the water, flour and salt to form a sticky but stirrable batter. Then mix in yeast dissolved in a bit of water and bicarbonate soda to form a smooth batter.
2. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes until the surface bubbles and gets foamy.
3. Wipe a little oil around a large frying pan or iron skillet and place over a medium-high heat. Ladle your batter into your Lakeland Crumpet Rings and cook on the hob on a medium heat until the bubbles pop on the surface and the top is cooked.
4. Serve the crumpets warm, with a slather of butter. If making them in advance, just toast lightly on both sides when you come to serve them.
5. For the jam, prepare your strawberries by washing, hulling, and halving them. Place them in your stainless steel pan, add the lemon juice and sugar, and stir over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
6. At this point, if you’re going for a smooth clear jam, you’ll want a good strainer (ours is recommended by BBC Good Food). Pour the mixture in and wait for all the juice to drip through the cloth back into your pan.
7. Bring your clear or thick fruit mixture to a boil, and let it bubble for about 10 minutes or until it reaches the setting point. Remove from heat and let it stand for a few minutes and pour into sterilised jars using a funnel. Seal up your jam jars as soon as you fill them.