I suppose this is technically not a ‘sweet’ recipe, but the smell of fresh bread (English muffins in this case!) makes me think of cooler weather so I thought it would be appropriate for the ITS audience. Homemade English muffins are definitely worth your time and effort. These muffins are baked versus cooked on a griddle, giving you time to contemplate yummy toppings… butter, honey, jam, peanut butter, butter (did we mention butter?)… endless possibilities!

Homemade English Muffins  

Makes 12 muffins  

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz all-purpose flour
  • 5-3/4 oz white whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon*
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 9 oz (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) lukewarm milk
  • 1 oz (2 tablespoons) melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar,
  • cornmeal to coat the muffins

*Note: if you want to make ‘plain’ English muffins, just omit the cinnamon!

  1. Mix all the ingredients except the semolina or cornmeal. Beat for 1 minute at high speed of an electric mixer; the dough will become somewhat smooth.
  2. Scrape the dough into the center of the bowl, cover, and allow it to rise for about 60 minutes or until  quite puffy.
  3. Line a large (18″ x 13″) baking sheet with parchment. Grease twelve 3-3/4″ English muffin rings** and place them on the baking sheet. Sprinkle cornmeal into each ring.
  4. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased or floured work surface. Cut it into 12 equal pieces; (each will weigh a scant approximately 2 ounces). Shape the dough into balls. Place each ball into a ring, pressing it down to flatten somewhat. Sprinkle with a bit more cornmeal. Place a sheet of parchement on top of the rings and then another baking sheet. The second baking sheet should be resting on top of the rings.
  5. Let the muffins rise for about 60 to 90 minutes, until they’ve puffed up noticeably. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
  6. Bake the risen muffins for 10 minutes. Flip the pans over (be careful!) and bake for 5 more minutes. Remove the top pan, and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the muffins are a light golden brown (the interior of a muffin should register about 200 deg F on an instant-read thermometer if you want to be very technical).
  7. Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool. Remove the rings as soon as possible (the metal rings will be hot so wait a few minutes). When completely cool, store muffins in a plastic bag. Freeze, if desired.

**If you don’t have English muffin rings, shape the dough into balls, flatten and place on the baking sheet without the rings. Follow the rest of the directions (muffins might be a little thinner than those baked in the rings but they will still taste great!).

**Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour, ‘Baked English Muffins’

 

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