English Muffins

I love Thomas' English Muffins; they are superior to any other muffin.  However, they also cost an arm and a leg for something that would only last a few days.  So when my Bread! cookbook had a recipe for English Muffins, I was stoked.  (I learned stoked from a Canadian friend I went to college with.) 

 

This is from page 113 in the book, btw.

2/3 c whole milk

2/3 c water

2 T melted butter

1 T sugar

1 t salt

2 c bread flour

2 c flour

2.5 t instant or fast-acting yeast

Fine cornmeal to dust

Put the ingredients in your bread machine as directed in your book.  For mine, that means wet first (along with melted butter), sugar and salt, then flours with a well for the yeast on the top.  Set machine to dough setting and start.  When cycle is complete, turn onto floured surface and knead into a smooth ball.  Divide dough into equal portions and shape each into a round, flat 1/2 inch thick disk.  Dust each with cornmeal and place in a warm place to rise for about 15 minutes (until they begin to lose their shape).  Don't let over-rise.

Heat a pan (preferably nonstick or a griddle) to somewhere between low and medium.  and lightly brush with oil (EVOO).  Cook as many as you can comfortably fit into pan at a time, about 8-10 minutes on each side.  Don't have the heat too high or the outside will burn without the inside cooking.  Flip and do other side.  They are done when they sound hollow when tapped.  Put the extra dough in the fridge so that it doesn't continue to rise.

I toasted mine and they were delicious!  Today I put egg salad on one, and it was great.  The girls like them a lot too!  The recipe says it only makes.  However, I disagree:)  I had a few huge ones.  I would definitely do them a little smaller and try to get the amounts of dough super-similar so that they all cook at the same rate.  The cornmeal on the outside is just like Thomas'!  

They weren't as nook and cranny filled as Thomas', but I think that was in part due to the fact that I didn't let them rise long enough after they were formed into disks because I was afraid they were getting too big!  They did have the same taste though.

I think this would be easy to do without the bread machine.  Just add the yeast to the water and sugar and let it activate and then add all the other ingredients and knead until smooth.  Let rise for at least an hour and then pick up where the recipe comes out of the bread pan.

I hope that you do get to try this!  I really did enjoy them:)