Monday, June 7, 2010

#12: English Muffins

Frankly I was about as excited to make English muffins as I was to make cornbread.  In my mind these little breakfast muffins barely deserve the butter and jam spread on them let alone the "pastry" label.

However, I now see that my opinion was all about store-bought English muffins.  Peter's recipe is surprisingly simple and the muffins have a pleasant texture vastly superior to commercial muffins.  My only complaint was that Peter's recipe makes only six muffins, hardly worth the effort.  From the onset I decided to double Peter's recipe and I was greatly pleased with the outcome.

Here's the recipe:

20ounces bread flour
.50ounce granulated sugar
.40ounce salt
.30ounce active dry yeast
1ounce shortening
16ounces milk, room temperature

Combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast.  Add shortening and milk and mix until it forms a ball.  Knead dough in mixer for 8 minutes (10 if by hand), adjusting with additional flour as necessary.  Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover.  Let sit for 1 to 1.5 hours.  Divide into 12 pieces and shape into balls.  Place on a greased pan with several inches inbetween and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.

Heat a griddle to 350F and the oven to 350F.  I found it easier to do the muffins in two shifts.  Gently place balls on griddle for 5-8 minutes. The balls will naturally flatten.  Gently flip and fry on other side for another 5-8 minutes.  Immediately place on a pan in the hot oven for another 8 minutes to bake.  While the first batch is baking, start the next batch on the griddle.  Let muffins cool for 1/2 hour and enjoy with butter and honey or whatever spreads you like.  Yum!

Now go and try the recipe and tell me what you think.

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