King Arthur Flour English Muffins Food

THICK ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except semolina in a large bowl. Mix well to combine, then beat on high (with flat paddle, if using stand mixer) for 5 minutes. Dough should be sticky and glossy. Scrape down bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes, or until about doubled in volume.
• Heat an ungreased griddle over very low heat (300* F for electric griddle). Grease English muffin rings.
• First, make a test muffin as follows: Place one greased ring on griddle and sprinkle a bit of semolina on griddle inside of ring. Wet fingers and a 1/2 cup measure with a little water, and scoop out a scant 1/2 cup of dough. Shape dough into a circle approximately the size of the ring, place inside of ring, and sprinkle top with a little more semolina.
• Cook for 7 minutes, then carefully lift and check bottom, which should be a nice, medium golden-brown. If not, turn up heat a little; if too dark, turn heat down. Cook an additional 10 minutes.
• With a pair of tongs, grab the ring and lift it off, then flip the muffin over (if ring doesn't release, flip it over, ring and all, and gently wiggle until it comes off). Cook second side for 12-18 minutes or until a deep golden brown.
• Remove and split muffin; should be cooked through. If so, cook remaining muffins in the same way; if not cooked through, then turn heat down a little and proceed to cook remaining muffins for a little longer time than test muffin.
• Cool muffins completely before storing in a plastic bag.

HOMEMADE BUTTERY ENGLISH MUFFINS

Steps:

• Heat the milk and butter to blood temperature.
• Test a drop on your wrist-- it should feel barely warm.
• Beat in the egg.
• Dissolve the yeast in the milk mixture.
• Measure the flour into a bowl and stir in the salt.
• Make a well in the middle and pour in the milk mixture.
• Mix well.
• Turn out the dough and knead it until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Put the dough back into a clean, oiled bowl and turn it over (so it is coated in the oil.) Cover it with a damp teatowel and let it rise for about 2 hours, until doubled in volume.
• Punch it down, then turn it out and roll it into a cylinder, about 1 1/2" in diameter.
• Cut it into 16 equal slices.
• They should be 1/2" thick; flatten them slightly if required.
• Arrange these on an oiled cookie sheet or on waxed paper.
• Cover them with the damp towel and let rise another 2 hours, until doubled in size again.
• Bake them in a heavy, ungreased, cast iron skillet at a temperature just slightly lower than for pancakes.
• (Medium-low heat.) They should be lightly browned.
• Turn them once, and bake the other side.
• Each side should take 3 to 5 minutes.
• To serve the muffins, they should be split and toasted.
• (They will be just barely cooked in the middle otherwise.) These can also be made in a bread machine on the dough cycle.
• Put the wet ingredients in first, and follow with the dry ingredients.
• Run the dough cycle.
• Let rise for the first time, then follow the instructions above from that point, step ten.