English Muffins
Submitted by cooksgirl on April 04, 2003 at 3:44 pm

DESCRIPTION
English Muffins

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Muffins Quickbreads Scones

INSTRUCTIONS
You will need 8 English Muffin Rings for this recipe. You cannot double this in a 5 quart Kitchen Aid stand mixer bowl, the bowl is not big enough. You can, however, mix up one batch and then mix up a second batch. By the time the second batch has risen, the first ones should be coming off the griddle.

3 cups flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
3 TBSP butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 egg

In large mixer bowl, measure 2 1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and dry milk. Stir to blend. Add the butter to the hot water and then to the dry ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes with the flat beater. Add the egg and the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir to mix well. (This is not a bread dough, it is very wet like a very loose batter, this is ok.)

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 1/2 - 2 hours while the batter bubbles and rises to double in volume. It will probably have a sour smell, due to fermentation.

Butter english muffin rings. Preheat griddle to 350 and sprinkle the top with cornmeal. Place rings on the griddle and heat for 10 minutes. Stir down the batter and carefully fill each ring half full with a spoon. Spread the batter evenly. (this will be a sticky kind of stringy batter that will not come off the spoon without you pushing it off with your finger or another spoon.)

Cook 8-10 minutes. The batter should rise to the top of the rings and bubbles should be showing, like in pancakes, and they will begin to pull away from the rings. Lift off the rings. Lift muffin on spatula and sprinkle more cornmeal on the griddle and then flip muffin over. Continue to cook for 8-10 more minutes. The muffins will be deep brown and springy when pressed. Remove from griddle and let cool on wire rack. These keep great in the freezer. Pull apart with fork before toasting.

After the batter has risen, butter the rings and place them on a baking sheet. Fill each ring about 1/2 full. Set aside and allow to rise until the batter is at the top of the rings. You don't need to cover them and it will take about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 while they are rising. Place baking sheet in oven. You will not turn these over as you do on the griddle. Bake until golden brown and springy, about 25 minutes.