English Muffins
I remember trying to make english muffins once, many years ago. It seems to me I had some of the same difficulties as this time. They need to be cooked over quite low heat if they are to be cooked through without burning. And, this recipe is essentially a bread recipe made into rounds and cooked on a skillet. Although also very good toasted, they are not the same thing as the english muffins you buy in the store. They are not so riddled with holes, nor so chewy. For that, it seems I will have to find and try a different recipe.
English Muffins
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1/4 oz)
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 egg, beaten
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 – 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
cornmeal, to sprinkle
Test the water on your wrist to make sure it’s not too hot. Pour into large bowl. Stir in sugar to dissolve, then yeast. Heat milk in saucepan on stove or in microwave in glass measuring cup or mic-safe dish until bubbles form. Stir in butter to melt. Let cool to wrist-comfortable temperature before adding to yeast mixture in bowl. Beat egg and stir in. Add salt. Measure 2 cups flour in and beat smooth, about 100 strokes. Add 2 more cups flour and stir until mixed in. Dough will be stiff. Dump dough out onto well floured counter. Knead and work in flour a bit at a time as it becomes too sticky to handle. Knead until smooth and elastic. Wash out bowl, dry and grease with butter or margarine. Put ball of dough in upside down, then turn once, to grease the top. Cover with lid and/or clean dish towel. Place in a warm draft-free place and let rise about 1 hour until double. Turn out on lightly floured counter and push air bubbles out. Let rest a few minutes. Roll out to about 1/2 inch. Cut into approx. 3 – 3 1/2 inch rounds, using a glass or a can with top and bottom removed. (eg. regular vegetable can is 3″ wide; tuna can is almost 3 1/2″). Alternately, you can cut into squares.
Sprinkle cornmeal on counter and lightly press each round into it on both sides. (Alternately, you can just sprinkle some cornmeal in the skillet). Set rounds on cookie sheet and cover with dish towel to help prevent drying out. After first set of rounds has risen about 15 – 20 minutes, place on lightly greased skillet preheated to a medium-low temperature (about a “2″ on my stove – which goes from 1(Lo) to 10(Hi) ). English muffins need to be cooked fairly slowly. If you try to cook over too high a heat, they will begin burn on the top and bottom before they get all the way cooked to the edges. Expect to cook approx. 8 – 10 minutes per side. (If when you fork split a muffin open, it turns out still doughy on the edges, you can salvage it by putting it in the toaster – at least that’s what I did!)
