English Muffins
Tiny nooks and crannies are hiding out inside of these billowy little rounds of dough, graced with a rustic note of yeast. With a gentle toast on the outside then split with a fork and toasted on the inside, English Muffins deliver warm perfection!
Equipment
- small saucepan
- Instant read thermometer
- Electric mixer
- Rimmed baking sheet(s)
- 2-½" biscuit cutter
- Electric griddle
Ingredients
- 1 cup very warm water, between 105 to 110-degrees
- 2-¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, one ¼-ounce packet
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup shortening
- 6 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Coarsely ground yellow cornmeal for dusting, about ¼ cup
Instructions
- Stir the yeast into the warm water along with the sugar. Let the yeast proof for about 10 minutes.
- Pour the milk into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until it is hot and steaming. Remove the pan from the heat and add the shortening and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, stirring until the shortening has melted into the milk. Let the milk and shortening cool to 110-degrees.
- Transfer the milk and shortening to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the proofed yeast. Add 3 cups of the flour, stirring in one cup at a time.
- Transfer the dough to the bowl of your electric mixer and stir in the kosher salt along with the remaining flour about 1 cup at a time, blending in with a dough hook on low speed.
- Knead the dough using the dough hook on low speed until the dough is very smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Grease a large mixing bowl. Turn the dough out into the bowl, turning once or twice to lightly coat the dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle coarsely ground cornmeal over the paper.
- Punch the risen dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured board. Gently roll the dough to a thickness of ½”.
- Cut the dough with a 2-½” biscuit cutter. Gather up the scraps and roll out the remaining dough.
- Place the rounds of dough on top of the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between them for rising.
- Sprinkle the tops with more cornmeal, cover the pans with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
- Heat a griddle to 325-degrees. Cook the muffins for about 12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the muffins over and continue cooking for an additional 6 to 8 minutes or until golden.
- Transfer the muffins to racks to cool completely. When you’re ready to toast, insert a fork all around the edges to split the muffins open, creating the nooks and crannies.
- Toast using a medium temperature just until lightly golden on the inside.
Notes
The muffins can be bagged and frozen.