English Muffins From Scratch Food

ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on one side of the flour and the salt into the other side of the flour. Add the sugar, butter, egg and milk, then mix all the ingredients together to form a soft dough.
• Turn the mixture out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until soft, smooth and stretchy.
• Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the oiled bowl, cover and leave to prove for about one hour, or until doubled in size.
• Dust the work surface with a mixture of the semolina/polenta and flour. Tip the dough out onto the work surface and roll out to about 2.5cm thick.
• Lightly dust two baking trays with half of the semolina or polenta.
• Using a 9cm/3½oz straight-sided cutter, cut out eight muffins. Place four muffins, evenly spaced apart on each of the dusted baking trays. Dust the remaining semolina or polenta over the top of the muffins.
• Leave to prove for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the hot plate or a heavy-based frying pan on the hob to a very low heat. Griddle the muffins for approximately 5-6 minutes, then flip over and griddle for another 5-6 minutes on the other side.

ENGLISH MUFFINS FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• 1. Warm the milk to scalding in a small saucepan until it bubbles (150 degrees) Add the sugar and mix until dissolved. Allow to cool until lukewarm.
• 2. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water ( 110 degrees) I add a pinch of flour and a pinch of sugar to feed the yeast. It will bubble away. Give it about 10 minutes to bubble.
• 3. In a mixer or large bowl, combine the milk,yeast mixture,melted shortening and 3 cups of the flour. Beast until smooth. Add the rest of the flour and the salt. Knead the dough. Place in a greased bowl,cover and let rise until doubled. (About 1 1/2 hours)
• 4. Punch down dough. DO NOT over work the dough! I simply use a rolling pin and roll out to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the muffins out with a biscuit cutter,drinking glass or an empty clean can. At this point, if you have the muffin forms, you can put the rounds directly into the forms that rest in the frying pans.. This is not necessary, but if you have the forms, they are beautifully even. See the pictures....I did some with the forms and some just by cutting, and they are equally just fine.
• 5. Prepare your frying pans. If using the forms, place them in the frying pans that are lightly coated with cornmeal. Place your slices of dough into the forms and sprinkle a little cornmeal on top of them as well.. Let them rise for 40 minutes, or until they rise to the top of the forms.
• 6. If you do not have the forms: Place your slices of dough onto a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with cornmeal.Lightly sprinkle cornmeal on top of the rounds as well. Let rise 40 minutes, and then add them to the pans that are lightly sprinkled with cornmeal.
• 7. Either with the forms or not; Place the rounds in the frying pans that have a sprinkling of cornmeal on the bottom and turn the heat to a low/medium. Fry them for 5 minutes and check them by peeking underneath. Flip them and fry for an additional 5 minutes.
• 8. Let cool on wire racks. DO not cut these with a knife. You want to split them with a fork. Poke the fork all the way around the middle of the muffins, and then gently tear apart. This will keep all the nooks and crannies nice. :)

ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• In a bowl combine the powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, shortening, and hot water, stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool. In a separate bowl combine the yeast and 1/8 teaspoon of sugar in 1/3 cup of warm water and rest until yeast has dissolved. Add this to the dry milk mixture. Add the sifted flour and beat thoroughly with wooden spoon. Cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the griddle to 300 degrees F.
• Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt to mixture and beat thoroughly. Place metal rings onto the griddle and coat lightly with vegetable spray. Using #20 ice cream scoop, place 2 scoops into each ring and cover with a pot lid or cookie sheet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and flip rings using tongs. Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack, remove rings and cool. Split with fork and serve.

ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Since you cook these on top of the stove, there is no need to preheat the oven.Proof the yeast in the l/2 Cup of lukewarm milk with the sugar.Scald the 1 cup of milk, melt the butter in it and let cool to lukewarm.
• Add the salt and the slightly beaten egg to the milk-and-butter mixture. Pour the yeast sponge into a large mixing bowl and blend in the milk-butter-and-egg mixture. Add the flour, a little at a time,mixing together well.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding more flour if necessary.
• Knead until elastic and shiny.
• Then place the dough in a large buttered bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for at least 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.
• Meanwhile, pour the cornmeal onto a platter and set aside. Take the dough out onto the work surface and knead again for a couple of minutes.
• Roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/3" and, with a glass or a large biscuit cutter, cut out round cakes.
• Put these onto the platter with the cornmeal, press down slightly and turn to get the other side covered with cornmeal.
• Place on a baking sheet and cover with a towel.
• Let stand for about 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Place a skillet over medium heat and when hot, brush with a little melted butter, turn the heat low and place about 5 to 6 muffins in the pan.
• Cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until they are slightly brown.
• Cool on a rack.
• Toast after they are completely cooled off and right before serving them.

SOURDOUGH ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Night Before:.
• Mix starter, honey and milk in mixing bowl until smooth.
• Add 4 cups flour, mixing in 2 cups at a time.
• Mix only until the flour is thoroughly wet.
• Cover with clean towel and leave at room temperature in a draft free place for 12-16 hours.
• Next Morning:.
• Stir down mixture.
• Sprinkle a scant teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons salt over the surface of the dough and work into dough.
• Flour board with 1 cup flour and knead until dough is medium stiff - adding more flour as needed. The dough should be moist but not sticking to your hands.
• Once enough flour has been added, knead an additional 5 minutes until the dough forms a smooth ball.
• Roll dough on floured board to about 1/2 inch thick.
• Cut the dough with a 3-4 inch round cutter -- keeping them uniform in thickness and diameter.
• Place them on wax paper sprinkled with corn meal, taking care that they do not touch.
• Sprinkle corn meal over tops of muffins.
• Allow to rise in warm place, covered, for about an hour or until risen again.
• Preheat a griddle or frying pan with small amount of butter (add a little olive oil to keep from smoking). If using muffin rings, preheat them on the grill.
• Using a low flame or heat setting, bake one side for 4-5 minutes and turn. Place lid over the muffins to help them cook all the way through. Turn only once so be sure the one side is cooked before turning.
• Squish down a bit with spatula and pan bake other side for another 4-5 minutes.
• Look like store bought . . . taste even better!

WONDERFUL ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Scald milk in a saucepan; add butter, sugar and salt. Stir until butter melts; cool to lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; add to milk mixture. Stir in all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour until smooth. Add sesame seeds, poppy seeds and enough remaining whole wheat flour to make a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Roll to 1/3-in. thickness on a cornmeal-covered surface. Cut into circles with a 3-1/2-in. or 4-in. cutter; cover with a towel and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes., Place muffins, cornmeal side down, in a greased skillet; cook over medium-low heat for 12-14 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Turn and cook about 12-14 minutes or until browned. Cool on wire racks; split and toast to serve.

EASY ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Place 1/4 cup flour, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a mixing bowl. Whisk together and set aside for about 10 minutes to see if thin layer of foam develops to ensure yeast is active. Drizzle in vegetable oil; add salt, egg white, remaining 1 3/4 cup flour, and remaining 1/4 cup warm water. Mix together until dough is very wet and sticky. Cover. Set in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
• Pull dough gently from sides of bowl, stirring slightly, and turn out onto a well-floured rolling surface. Work in just enough flour until dough is easily handled and can be cut into 6 pieces, about 1 minute. Cut dough into 6 equal portions. Form a seamless ball of dough, adding a pinch of flour to keep it from sticking. Flatten to make thick disks. Transfer dough onto a lined baking sheet sprinkled generously with cornmeal. Let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Add clarified butter to skillet over medium heat. Carefully transfer muffin disks to skillet. Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Brown on one side, 5 or 6 minutes. Turn, and brown the other side, 5 or 6 minutes. Continue turning to get muffins evenly browned and cooked through, 7 or 8 minutes total per side. Transfer to a cooking rack and cool completely (this is key as you can't split the muffins unless they are cooled).
• Split cooled muffins with a fork, inserting tines all the way around edges so the 2 sides can be pulled apart. Toast and serve with jam.

CLASSIC ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Scald the milk:
• In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat just until it starts to steam and a skin forms on the surface. You might see some tiny bubbles form around the sides, but don't let the milk come to a full boil. Maintain the milk at this temperature, decreasing the heat slightly if needed, for about 30 seconds, then remove it from the heat. Whisk in the butter and honey and set aside, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is warm but not hot, 10 to 15 minutes (you're going to use the scalded milk to proof the yeast, and if it's too hot, the yeast will die; it should feel lukewarm and register around 105°F on an instant-read thermometer).
• Proof the yeast:
• Combine the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the milk mixture in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Mix the dough:
• In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, salt, milk mixture, and yeast mixture and mix on low just until the flour is incorporated into the liquid. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to mix, occasionally scraping down the sides with a flexible spatula or scraper until the dough is smooth, elastic, and climbing up the hook but still very wet and sticky, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Let the dough rise:
• Generously oil the inside of a separate large bowl and scrape in the dough. You want it to slide around freely, so shake the bowl and loosen any areas where the dough is stuck to the sides. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until the dough is doubled in size and filled with big air pockets, 1 to 1½ hours.
• Prepare the baking sheet:
• While the dough is rising, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and generously brush the surface with more oil. Dust with cornmeal and set aside.
• Flatten the dough and chill:
• When the dough has risen, use a dough scraper or spatula to gently loosen the dough from around the bowl and let it gently slide out onto the prepared baking sheet. Try not to knock out too much air as you do this. Generously brush another sheet of parchment paper with oil and place it oiled-side down on top of the dough, then use the palms of your hands to flatten it down into a thin, even slab measuring about ½ inch thick. Leaving the top layer of parchment right where it is, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 12 (cold dough will not only be easier to handle, but the English muffins will taste better, too).
• Form the English muffins:
• Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, uncover, and peel off the top layer of parchment. Use an oiled 3½-inch round cutter to punch out as many rounds as you can from the slab, fitting them close together for as little scrap as possible.
• The dough will be sticky, so oil your hands as well if needed, and press down firmly with the cutter, twisting once you hit the parchment. Depending on the shape of the slab and how tightly you cut out the rounds, you could get anywhere from 7 to 9 English muffins-if you have large pieces of scrap dough, pinch them together and cut another round. Discard any scraps and make sure the rounds have a little breathing room between them.
• Griddle the muffins:
• Transfer as many rounds as will fit to a cold griddle or large skillet, spacing them ½ inch apart (in a skillet, you'll have to cook them in batches). Heat the griddle or skillet over medium-low heat and cook until the muffins are puffed, the bottoms are crisp and deeply browned, and the surface has gone from shiny to matte, 7 to 10 minutes. Flip the muffins gently, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the second side is deeply browned, another 5 to 7 minutes.
• If the muffins are cooking faster, reduce the heat-you want them to cook slowly to help form interior nooks and crannies and to ensure that the centers are cooked through. If you're using a skillet, cook the remaining batches over low heat the entire time.
• Let cool and then split: Transfer the English muffins to a wire rack as they're done and let them cool completely. Stab the tines of a fork into the pale sides of the muffin at the midway point, puncturing the dough all the way around, then slowly pull the halves apart. Eat fresh or toasted.
• DO AHEAD: The English muffins are best eaten the day they're made but will keep, stored airtight at room temperature, up to 3 days. English muffins can also be frozen up to 2 months.
• Cooks' Notes
• Don't let the dough sit in the refrigerator for longer than 12 hours. Past this point the gluten network will start to break down due to the dough being very wet, resulting in muffins that are flatter and denser.
• If you don't have a cutter, or if you don't want to discard any scraps, use an oiled bench scraper to cut the slab into freeform pieces measuring about 3-inches across. The muffins won't be round, but they'll be just as good.
• Move the muffins around the skillet or griddle to promote even cooking, as sometimes the browning can be a little spotty. If you're using a skillet, you can rotate it around the burner as well.