Fun to make and way better than packaged.
I have been wanting to make English Muffins for awhile. My family loves to eat English Muffins for breakfast and lunch. English Muffins are great to use for a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich or a tuna melt or simply toasted with some jam.
I saw this recipe on King Arthur Flour website. I love King Arthur Flour and always keep a supply of their all purpose, bread flour and “00” flour on hand. This English Muffin recipe calls for bread flour. The main difference between all purpose flour and bread flour is that bread flour has a higher protein content which produces lots of gluten which is essential in creating more stability and rise in the dough. All purpose flour is better for cakes and cookies.
This English Muffin recipe comes together very quickly but does require a double rise. The first rise is about 1.5 hours and the second proofing is a quick 15 minutes after the muffins have been shaped. Since this is a softer dough it is a good idea to shape the English Muffins and place them on the griddle or heavy bottom frying pan that you will be baking them on. The pan or griddle should be heavily sprinkled with semolina flour before you place the English Muffins on the pan. After the English Muffins have been placed on the pan you will need to sprinkle more semolina flour on top, cover with parchment paper and let proof for 15 minute . The semolina flour will prevent the bottom of the English muffins from burning before the inside is cooked. After the second rise you should place the griddle or frying pan on medium low heat.
The first side of the English Muffin will take 15-25 minutes, the second side will take roughly 15 minutes to bake. I like to turn the muffins periodically so that they brown evenly on the bottom. The English Muffins are done when the internal temperature reaches 185-200. After the English Muffins are ready let them cool completely and then brush off most of the semolina flour from both sides. After the English Muffins have cooled completely you can use a fork to cut them in half. Do not use a knife or else you won’t have the nooks and crannies.
English Muffins
Equipment
- Cast iron Griddle or heavy bottom frying pan
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
- 4½ cups bread flour
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1¾ cups lukewarm milk
- 3 tbsp butter softened
- 1 egg beaten lightly
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- semolina flour to sprinkle on pan
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt and yeast together
- In a stand mixer fitter with dough hook add butter, sugar and mix
- add egg and milk and continue to mix for 1 minute
- add flour mixture and mix for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and puuls away from sides
- shape into a ball, place in bowl, cover with a dish towel and let rise for 1.5 hours until double in size
- remove from bowl and gently press down in center of dough to deflate
- divide the dough into 16 pieces, gently roll into a ball and flatten into a 3½ inch disk shape
- Place each disk on a cast iron griddle or heavy bottom frying pan heavily sprinkled with semolina flour
- sprinkle more semolina flour on top of muffins and cover with a piece of parchment paper
- let english muffins rise for 15 minutes
- place griddle or frying pan on medium low heat
- cook English muffin for 15 – 25 minutes until bottom is a light golden brown
- flip muffins over and continue to cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown on bottom and internal temperature is between 185 and 200. Adjust heat lower if muffin bottom is beginning to burn.
- Let English Muffins cool completely.
- Scrape most of the semolina flour off of the muffins when they are cool
- Always use a fork to cut muffins in half. DO NOT USE A KNIFE.
