Crumpets carry a strong dose of childhood nostalgia, and a packet rarely lasts long. They also have a surprisingly short shelf life. A tasting session for a food column led to a hurried freezer clear-out to make room for 10 opened packets, even though a single packet rarely survives a day in the cook’s household. For anyone who does end up with a spare packet—or spots one on clearance, as crumpets often are—a quick, eggy, cheesy breakfast is a useful way to treat yourself.
The recipe below combines a favorite childhood recipe with a newer one, both from the cook’s mother. She says it is based on a Jamie Oliver recipe with egg, bacon and chilli. This version tops the crumpets with Marmite and cheddar, and the cook calls it a wonderful treat with or without the Marmite. Other possible toppings include Stilton and apple chutney, and Gruyère and walnuts; both broil beautifully.
Eggy bread crumpets with cheddar and Marmite
As a child, the cook ate plenty of crumpets, usually dripping with butter and sometimes topped with Marmite and cheese before being broiled. The trick is to toast them lightly, spread them with butter and Marmite to taste, top with a slice or two of sharp cheddar and broil until bubbling. This recipe takes that idea further by first making eggy “bread” with the crumpets. The cook describes the result as a hearty breakfast that really hits the spot.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1–2 eggs
- A splash of milk
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 crumpets
- A knob of butter
- A splash of olive oil
- Marmite, to taste
- 60–80g cheddar
Method
- Depending on how eggy you want the crumpets, beat one or two eggs with a splash of milk, then season.
- Soak the flat base of the crumpets in the egg mixture for a minute. Flip them and leave them to soak holey side down for two to three minutes.
- Turn on the broiler to medium-high. Melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; use just enough fat to grease the entire surface of the pan.
- Lay the crumpets holey side down in the hot pan and pour over any surplus egg mixture from the bowl. Cook until golden brown underneath, then flip.
- Spread the crumpets with Marmite to taste and top each one with grated or sliced cheddar to taste.
- Broil for a few minutes, until the cheese starts to bubble, and serve hot.