How to Make Easy English Muffins
These easy English muffins with all those wonderful nooks and crannies are so much better than store bought ~ and you cook them right on the stove top!
Servings: 16 muffins
Calories: 177kcal
Equipment
- a stand mixer is helpful
- an instant read thermometer is also a help
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk about 110F
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature, lightly beaten
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast (one packet)
- semolina or corn meal for sprinkling on the griddle or pan
Instructions
- Put everything except the semolina into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (not the bread hook.) Alternatively, if you have a bread machine you can set it to the dough cycle.
- Mix the dough on medium speed for about 5 minutes, The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl and be smooth and quite elastic. I had to scrape the sides of my bowl a couple of times.
- Scrape the dough down into a rough ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours until risen and puffy.
- After the rise, gently deflate the dough. This dough will be soft and sticky. Turn it out onto a surface that has been dusted with the semolina, or corn meal, and form it into 16 pieces. (First cut the dough in half, then cut each half in half, and again and again until you have 16 (more or less) equal blobs.
- Form the pieces into rounds, and then lightly pat them into disks about 3 inches in diameter. Make sure they are dusted on both sides with the semolina. Cover loosely with plastic and let rest for about 20 minutes. They will puff gently.
- Sprinkle your griddle or skillet with a little semolina or corn meal. Cook the muffins on a low to medium low heat for about 15 minutes on each side, until they are golden browned and done. They will puff up initially, and when you flip them you'll see them take on the traditional English muffin shape.
- You can test for doneness with an instant read thermometer...the inside should register 200 degrees F when they are completely cooked through. If they are very brown before getting thoroughly done on the inside, transfer them to a 350F oven to finish cooking for 5-10 minutes. Note: your muffins should not be getting brown right away, if they do, your heat is too high.
- Be sure to use a fork to split the muffins before toasting to bring out that famous English muffin texture.
Notes
- If you have an electric griddle, set it to 300F. Otherwise, use low to moderate heat on the stove. A griddle pan, or heavy bottomed pan, like cast iron, works well to modulate the heat. The muffins have to cook through, so you don't want them to get too brown too quickly.
- Work in batches so you don't crowd your pan.
Nutrition
Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg