These easy yeasted crumpets with carrot & pineapple are the perfect base for a plethora of toppings. Not too dissimilar to an English muffin, they aren’t that sweet, so could easily go in a savoury direction. Don’t be put off by the yeast aspect either. These are fairly effortless to make as you leave the dough for an hour to develop lovely bubbles that give these crumpets a light and fluffy texture.
I encountered a similar crumpet at a delicious brunch event at the Rugani factory in Tarlton Gauteng recently. I had been invited with a group of media to see the world-class facility that manages to pull carrots out the ground and process them into juice on the same day. No sugar, water or preservatives are added to the juice and its pure straight-up juice made from fruit and vegetables. It was damn impressive. They are aseptically packed which gives the juice a stable shelf life ensuring the freshness and nutrition remains intact.
We also learned about Beta-Carotene and how the very best source of this wonderful plant pigment is from carrots and carrot juice. Beta carotene is a plant pigment and powerful antioxidant that the body converts into vitamin A (retinol) which we need for healthy skin, mucous membranes, our immune system, and good eye health. It was interesting to learn that pharmaceutical companies haven’t been able to make it successfully artificially and the very best way to get it into your diet is through your food. Aka carrots being a very good option.
Another super interesting thing I learned was if you juice carrots you will notice the pulp almost immediately separates from the water. This is because the cells have not been broken down adequately to extract the nutrients that are available to the body. The Rugani juice extraction machines rupture these cells releasing into the juice the full nutritional benefit and I am SO here for that.
The other super cool part about the Rugani plant and a cause I’m firmly behind is their quest to reduce food waste on our planet. The carrots that naturally grow out of the ground in an imperfect shape are still the same carrot as their conical shaped siblings but people deem these to be inferior quality. These are the carrots used to make the juice. As a result, all carrots that are grown can be used in one way or another. All the pulp that is leftover from the extraction process is then recycled back into the fields to provide additional nutrients to earth the future carrots will grow in. The fields are left fallow for a few years after harvest so that the soil can rejuvenate to provide the essential minerals to the vegetables. I had no idea how fascinating vegetable farming could be.
Rugani have been in business supplying South Africa with carrots for years and these can be found in Food Lovers Market countrywide. Their vegetable juices have been around for a while too. They have just launched their turmeric-infused carrot juice and Zobo infused (another name for hibiscus), beetroot juice and they are refreshingly interesting and delicious. I can imagine so many ways to cook with and drink these.
I was very taken with the notion of making crumpets using their carrot and pineapple juice so I used a recipe Crush created and adapted it slightly making my own topping and using more of the juice in the mix. They turned out so well.
I topped these off with lemon curd folded through thick Greek yoghurt, fresh pineapple, toasted pineapple flakes and chopped walnuts to make a healthy-ish breakfast treat. I hope you love them. The recipe makes 12 crumpets which can easily be frozen for future use. You could also pop them in the toaster from frozen and top with anything you love.
Recipe – makes 12 carrot & pineapple crumpets
Crumpets with carrot & pineapple juice
- 300 g cake flour
- 10 g instant yeast
- 1 tsp (5 ml) bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
- ½ tsp (2,5 ml) cinnamon
- 1 C (250 ml) milk
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) sugar
- 1 Cup (250 ml) Rugani Carrot & Pineapple Juice
- butter for frying
Topping:
- Lemon yoghurt topping
- Full-fat Greek-style yoghurt (about 1 cup)
- Lemon curd – about ¼ – 1/3 cup depending on taste
- Chopped fresh pineapple
- Toasted coconut flakes (optional)
- Chopped walnuts (optional)
Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and using a whisk, mix to combine.
Heat the milk and sugar in a small pot and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the milk is warmed through. Remove from the heat and add the Rugani Carrot and Pineapple Juice.
Add the liquid to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until well until it has the consistency of a smooth batter. Cover and leave to prove in a warm place for an hour. It should double in volume and be soft and airy.
Heat a griddle pan or large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Put a 10cm egg ring or 2 in the pan add a small knob of butter to the centre and using a brush, coat the inside of the rings. Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the ring and gently spread it out. Cook for 3 minutes and until bubbles start appearing on the surface. Gently remove the ring, flip the crumpets and cook the other side for about 40 seconds longer and until golden brown.
Stir the lemon curd through the yoghurt to your desired sweet preference and dollop this on top of the crumpets with freshly chopped pineapple, toasted coconut flakes and walnuts.
*To toast pinepple shavings, simply spread them on a baking sheet and roast in an oven that is preheated to 180c / 350F for about 5 – 8 mintues watching very closely as they burn easily.
*Discalimer
I was invited to the Rugani Juice factory and they paid for my travel to get there. I was not paid to produce this content but I have been drinking the juice ever since because its so damn delicious and packed with so many nutrients.
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