English Muffins
English muffins are not baked in the traditional sense, but are prepared on a griddle. They can be made with or without muffin rings, which can be purchased or made from tuna fish cans that have had the bottom removed and then are well scrubbed. I made them without rings.
Yield 20 muffins
Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 cup scalded milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons 105°-115° water
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, divided use
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 | Combine first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. |
|
2 | Dissolve yeast in warm water for 3-5 minutes. |
|
3 | Combine the 2 mixtures. |
|
4 | Beat half of flour into wet mixture. Cover bowl with towel and let rise in warm place about 1-1/2 hours, or until it collapses back into bowl. |
|
5 | Beat in butter. Beat or knead in remaining flour. |
|
6 | If using rings, put batter into rings, not filling more than 1/2 inch and put rings on lightly greased cookie sheet. If not using rings, put the dough on a board lightly floured or sprinkled with cornmeal, and press to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut into 3" rounds. Let rounds stand on cookie sheet until dough has doubled in bulk. |
|
7 | Slip a spatula under each round and transfer to a fairly hot, well buttered griddle or cast iron pan. Remove rings, and cook until light brown, turning once. |
|
8 | Cool slightly on rack. To separate for toasting, take 2 forks back to back and pry open horizontally. |
|
| |
|