Homemade English Muffins

I love making food from scratch, especially ones you would never even think of making. I love the challenge of finding the recipes and actually testing them out. So, a few weeks ago, I decided to make some English muffins from scratch. I tried making them a few months ago and completely failed! It makes me sad to waste ingredients (it was completely unsalvageable), so I have been afraid to try again until recently. I had a day off and I was determined! This time around, I took extra care and read up on many different recipes to figure out what I did wrong. And it paid off! It was actually pretty easy and extremely delicious! I don't think I'll ever get store-bought ones again!

Read on if you'd like to go to English muffin heaven with me! :)




I found this recipe from foodgeeks.

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 cups white bread flour
3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. kosher or flaked sea salt
1 cake compressed yeast, or 1 env. dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 cup lukewarm water (95-105° F)
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (95-105°F)
Cornmeal, rice flour or cornflour for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix flours with salt in a large bowl and warm the bowl of flour by putting it in the oven at 250°F for 5-8 minutes, or in the microwave on high for 1/2 to 1-1/2 minutes. This step is to help the yeast start working, and gives the muffins their light texture.

Crumble the yeast into a small bowl. Mix the sugar and 1/2 cup of the water until smooth. IF using DRY yeast, mix it with the sugar and 1/2 cup water and let stand 5-10 minutes, until foamy.

Make a well in the warmed flour. Add yeast mixture, the remaining water, and the milk and mix with your hands to make a very soft, slightly sticky dough. Turn out dough onto lightly floured work surface and knead with floured hands for 10 minutes until dough is soft, elastic, smooth and no longer sticky. Shape the dough into a ball.

Clean and dry the bowl and oil it. Return dough to bowl and turn the dough over so the top is oiled. Cover with a damp dish towel and let rise in a warm spot, away from drafts, until doubled in size--this should take about one hour.

Punch down the dough and turn it out on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes, return it to the bowl and cover again, let rest for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 8 pieces. The usual method is to squeeze the dough through the ring made by the thumb and forefinger of one floured hand. Squeeze the ball of dough and drop onto a baking sheet well dusted with the cornmeal or flour. Cover the tray of muffins with another tray, then a damp towel. Let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Heat griddle or fry pan for about 2 minutes over moderate heat. With a metal spatula, invert the muffins, 3 at a time (or more if you can fit them) onto the hot griddle. Cook about 12 minutes until the undersides are golden brown. Turn over and cook 10-12 minutes longer, until second side is browned and the sides of the muffins spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to a warm serving platter and cover with a dry dish towel. Wipe out the griddle or pan and continue cooking the rest of the muffins.

I even got the nooks and crannies! It was so amazingly delicious with just some butter, straight off the pan!

Since I made this on a really cold winter day, I kept the oven on for the entire duration. While waiting for the dough to rise, I put the bowl it's in directly on the stove, to capture most of the emanating heat from the warm oven.

Anyway, enjoy!