English Muffins; Homemade

My friend Carol, who lives in Oregon, requested the recipe for my homemade English Muffins.  So, I thought today was as good a time as any to give you the how to's.  Enjoy it Carol! And thanks for reading my blog.  Leave me a comment once in a while so I will know you were here.  :)

Let me state, they are so so so sOOOOO good!  You will be hard pressed to only eat one.  Especially if you have fresh Honey from my niece, Ashley.  Or home made jam....or butter......

The recipe made 16 the first time I made them, but sometimes I get 18.  I guess it is because I roll the dough a little thinner.  I have to admit, I like the thick ones.  They are sOOOO good.  Did I tell you that?

Ok, without further delay:

The cast of characters are flour, honey, corn meal, salt, milk, butter and yeast. 
For yeast I like the Saf-Instant, because you don't need to  "proof" it, but you can use whatever you have on hand...like the fast acting yeast, because the recipe also calls for 1 cup of warm water to dissolve the yeast in but I don't use that kind, but just use what you have.  It will work.

Pour the milk into a sauce pan................

Add 3 Tbs. butter to the milk in the sauce pan..............

Add the honey and the salt to the milk mixture.
I don't know how I did it, but I deleted the honey picture, so you are just going to have to trust me that I added it.  Look closely, I have proof.

Just heat this milk mixture until the butter melts. 
Stir to keep the milk from scorching.....it will, you have to trust me on that one, too.

I prefer wooden spoons to do most everything.  I don't like the sound of a metal spoon in my pans, yuck!
The wooden spoon just does it better.  That is my opinion...and I am sticking to it.  But do what you want.

When the butter has melted and the milk is scalded, I like to get it cooled down quickly, so I put it in my sink of cold water.  Stir it just a minute or two, not longer, and it is ready to use.

In a bowl measure 3 cups of flour and add the yeast.  If you want to play in the flour and make a face you can do that, but it not necessary.

At this point if you have plain active yeast, dissolve it in 1 cup warm water.  This step should have been done sooner as it will have to dissolve and do it's "proofing" thing.

Add the 1 cup hot water to the flour and yeast.

Add the cooled milk mixture.

Stir until the dough is smooth and not lumpy. 
Again, my tool of choice is the wooden spoon.  It has longer handles and is easy to use.
Stir until it is mixed well.

Add the remaining flour....I usually use about 1 1/2 cups more flour. 
The recipe calls for a total of more, but just see how your flour acts.
A total of 4 1/2 is enough sometimes.

Mix the dough until it is well mixed.

Pour it out onto a floured surface.

Knead the dough by hand for 3 to 4 minutes.  Just long enough to get the dough smooth.

Now, let the dough "rest" for 5 minutes.

The dough needs this time so let it have it.  Let the dough "rest".

While the dough is "resting" you still have work to do, so don't go and sit down.

Now is the time to line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or wax paper. Sprinkle it with the cornmeal. The cornmeal is what gives the English Muffin the crumble on the finished product. Don't skip this part. It is what makes it authentic.  Just use your hand and sprinkle until you think that is enough.  I think this is enough.

If you still have a few minutes start cleaning up your kitchen.
Wash the pan that heated the milk.  It wants to be clean and back in the cupboard with it's friends.
Put away some of the stuff you are done with.

Get out a mason jar with a wide mouth.
This is what I use to cut my muffins.  I don't have a glass large enough on the top and the jar works!
Get out your rolling pin.

Roll the dough out in a round.
Make it about 1/2 inch thick.
The thickness is something you may want to adjust depending on you like of a thick or thin muffin.

Cut the dough with the mason jar, or cookie cutter, or whatever...

Place the muffins on the cornmeal laden cookie sheet, and gather up the extra dough, roll it out and repeat the process until all the dough is on a cookie sheet.

Let the muffins raise for about 30 to 40 minutes.

We are having winter here in Idaho, still, so I heated the oven slightly and placed the cookie sheet inside to help them raise.  Be sure to cover the muffins with a clean dish towel so they won't dry out.

If it is warm where you live, let them raise on the counter top.

When they look like you want them to look, it is time to fry them, in a clean, dry skillet.
Don't add oil or Pam or anything.  Just a dry skillet.

Cook them on low about 7 minutes and check them.  They might need 10 minutes before turning to brown the other side.  About 7 minutes on each side. Just depends on your stove and how much heat.
7 minutes if they are thin, 10 minutes if they are thick.

While the second side is browning get out the jam, butter, honey or whatever. 

Call you kids to come and see what you have done.

To cut open a fresh, warm Homemade English Muffin I suggest using a fork and piercing the edges towards the middle and then pull the muffin apart.  To cut it isn't very good....it squishes the muffin too much.

They are great toasted, buttered and doctored up, and shovel 'em in 'yer mouth.

I didn't take a picture of the muffins plated.  Are you kidding, you expected that!  Really!

I wanted to eat one and then the family joined me, and , well, you know.... I forgot to.

But trust me.  These are easy.  They are not difficult.  You don't have to use a mixer or Bosch or anything.  The clean up is easy....and they are a crowd pleaser.

These freeze very well.  Then, when you want a treat just get them out and enjoy.

I like to toast the muffin, put a fried egg on it, some cheese and a slice of Canadian Bacon.  Wha-La!  A special breakfast.  A breakfast that company would enjoy, or your husband, or kids...or yourself.

Happy eating!!!



Here's the recipe:

English Muffins, homemade

• 1 cup Milk
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 cup Warm Water (used to dissolve yeast if needed, or just add to flour if saf-instant is used)
• ¼ ounces, weight Yeast (about 1 teaspoon)  saf-instant or active dry yeast
• ¼ cups Cornmeal
• 5-½ cups Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

Combine milk, butter,salt and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Warm until butter starts to melt, then whisk briefly. Remove pan from heat and allow liquid to cool to lukewarm.

Pour water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle with yeast. Stir gently with a fork. Set bowl aside for 10 minutes, or until yeast has dissolved.

Line baking sheets with waxed paper or parchment paper and sprinkle with a generous amount of cornmeal.

Pour cooled milk mixture into yeast mixture and gently stir until well blended. Add 3 cups flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and dust with flour. Flour hands and knead dough for 3-4 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes.

Roll out dough with rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into circles (a tumbler or mason jar does well). Transfer muffins to prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover with a dry, lightweight towel and let rise until doubled in height, 35-45 minutes.

When muffins have risen, heat a skillet over medium heat. Carefully lift muffins from the cookie sheet and place in the ungreased skillet. Cook about 10 minutes on each side, using a spatula to flip them. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before splitting (with a fork) and toasting them.

That is all there is!  I hope you enjoy them.
They are easy and soOOOO good!