Homemade Buttery English Muffins
"Homemade English Muffins! Oh boy! Never again be fobbed off with those little white sponges sold in grocery stores. I have called for whole wheat flour because that is what I use, but you can certainly use all or part hard unbleached (white) flour. The ascorbic acid (Vitamin C powder) is available in bulk food stores, but you will not need it unless your flour is organic, and does not have dough conditioners added. Don't be put off by the length of the instructions, these are really quite easy. You can even make the dough in your bread machine."
photo by theAmateurPastryChef
- Ready In:
- 5hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 9
- Serves:
-
16
ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 egg
- 3 3⁄4 cups hard whole wheat flour
- 1⁄4 cup gluten flour
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ascorbic acid (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
directions
- 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.
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Reviews
-
These were very good! They look just like the muffins you buy in stores, but taste much better. I found these very easy to prepare, if time consuming. I let the dough mix in my bread machine. Since I was unable to buy plain gluten, I used all bread flour (which already contains high gluten). This worked out quite well. Note: these bake in the skillet on top of the stove, just like pancakes. -
Wow! I'll never buy English Muffins again. I used King Arthur White Wheat Flour and upped the yeast to 1 T. since I don't use a bread machine. I didn't have the ascorbic acid, but I can't imagine how they could have come out any better. Thanks for posting this recipe! -
I LOVE Thomas' Light English Muffins & used to have one daily...then I read the ingredients list and decided to see what options I had. I tried this recipe mostly due to its high fiber and protein content. I followed the recipe exactly, using my bread machine, except for the ascorbic acid which I didn't add. They were easy to make & cook. These didn't turn out as light & airy as the Thomas' but they are VERY good. I froze most of them and they are quick & easy to defrost in the microwave, toast & top with jelly or PB for a breakfast on the go. My daughter MUCH prefers these over the store bought ones. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks for sharing! -
Oh my goodness!! These are SOO good!! I'm cooking them as I type, I snuck one to taste, and it's awesome!! I'm taking them to a tea party tomorrow, I can't wait for everyone to try....you'll never buy these again! I skipped the asorbic acid and I used rice milk and Earth Balance Margarine. I also rolled the dough out and used a biscuit cutter to give a more uniform shape. I dusted them with cornmeal as well. They are really great, thank you so much!
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Dear Jenny, thankyou thankyou for sharing this great recipe. I am living in Argentina, and as far as I can tell there are no English Muffins to be bought in this country, so the recipe was a godsend. I did it all with white flour (whole wheat flour is just a little easier to find than english muffins), and ommitted the vit. c. At first I was worried because it didn't really look like the dough was rising properly, but they came out perfect, and were a HUGE hit with my family and my expat coworkers. I'll be making these again soon.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Jenny Sanders
Cambridge, Ontario
I love to garden, both perennials and vegetables. I am always looking for recipes to fiddle with, especially good simple vegetable dishes. I try to use organic ingredients as much as possible.
