Home made English Muffins
Ingredients
•4 cups whole wheat flour (or equal amounts whole wheat and all-purpose flour for a lighter texture)•1 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1 package yeast (or 1 tablespoon
•1 cups milk
•1 tablespoon honey or sugar
•3 tablespoons unsalted butter
•1 egg, beaten
•Cornmeal
Instructions
1.Combine flour, salt, baking soda and yeast in a medium bowl.2.In a small sauce pan, heat milk slowly. Stir in honey and butter and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until butter is melted. Do NOT scorch milk!
3.Transfer milk mixture to the bowl of a stand mixture (or pour into bottom of large bowl). Add egg and continue mixing until well combined.
4.Leaving mixer running, or stirring constantly, add dry ingredients a small amount at a time until fully mixed. Mix or knead one additional minute.
5.Lightly flour a work surface. Sprinkle two baking sheets with cornmeal.
6.Tip dough onto floured surface and roll it to 1-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter (or empty tuna can with lids cut off), cut muffins and transfer them to the baking sheets. Re-roll dough and continue cutting until all dough is used.
7.Cover baking sheets with a clean kitchen towel and let the muffins rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes.
8.Preheat oven to 325 F.
9.Preheat griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.
10.Cook muffins a few at a time, without letting the edges touch, around 2 minutes per side or until lightly golden. Transfer back to baking sheets.
11.Bake browned muffins in 325F oven for 15 minutes or until fully risen and lightly golden brown. Let cool on wire rack.
12.To serve: split muffins by wedging the tines of a fork toward the center of the muffin, working all around the sides.
13.To store: keep in refrigerator (since they don't have preservatives) up to two weeks, or freeze on baking sheets and store in freezer up to a year.