English Muffins

English muffins are an essential ingredient for eggs Benedict and quite good on their own. Home made English muffins are miles better than their store-boughten cousins. 

This recipe was adapted for the modern kitchen (by Yours Truly) from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. Makes a baker's dozen when you use a 3" cutter or about 10 with a 3-1/2" cutter.

You need:
         3 cups all-purpose flour
         2 tbsp cold vegetable shortening
         1 tbsp. sugar
         1-1/2 tsp salt
         1 cup milk
         2-1/2 tsp. (one packet) yeast (Read my thoughts on yeast)
         1/4 c. warm (110 degrees) water

Making the dough

Put milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and scald the milk by bringing the mixture almost to a boil. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Allow to cool to about 95 degrees.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. It will probably start to bubble even without the other ingredients. Good.

While the milk is heating (and cooling) and the yeast dissolving, put the flour and shortening in a food processor and pulse with the metal knife blade until the shortening disappears.

Add both liquids to the processor bowl with the processor running and process for 30-40 seconds to knead. The dough should be wet, but not runny. Add another 1/4 c. water or milk if necessary. Turn the dough out into a large bowl that has been rinsed with warm water, cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about two hours at room temperature.

Rolling and second rise

Spray a non-stick electric griddle with cooking spray.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured pastry cloth or silicone pastry mat. Shake a generous amount of flour onto the dough, push and pat it into a flattened ball, turn it over and flour the other side. Roll the dough into a circle 1/2" thick and cut it into rounds with a biscuit cutter. Dust both sides of each round lightly with corn meal and arrange, well spaced, on the griddle.

Knead the cut-out dough into a ball, roll and cut another batch of muffins.

Cover muffins, griddle, and all with a slightly damp towel and allow to rise a second time until the muffins are puffy on top, perhaps an hour to an hour and a half.

Cooking

After the second rise, remove the towel and set the griddle for 325°. Keep a close eye on things. After perhaps 5-6 minutes, the muffins will have begun to cook on the bottom and can be lifted with a nylon spatula. Gently turn the muffins over and cook top-side-down for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for three minutes. Turn again and cook for a final 3-4 minutes.

Remove the muffins from the griddle and cool on a rack. When completely cool, store in an air-tight bag. (You can freeze some for later use. Or not, as the case may be!)

Orignially posted: 2010-02-16
Last updated: 2011-11-05 1:40