Yeasted English Muffins
Homemade English muffins are a perfectly straightforward affair that doesn't involve a lot of fuss. This recipe is quick, just handle the dough gently, and you'll have wonderfully light yet sturdy little muffins for your breakfast or lunch. Mixed with our Organic Expresso, they have a moist, caramel-colored crumb; the dusting of cornmeal gives them a delightfully crunchy crust.
BY: ELLE COWAN
Prep Time
20 minutes
Bake Time
30 minutes
Total Time
3 hours 30 minutes
Yield
8 English muffins
Ingredients
¾ tsp. (2.5g) instant yeast
½ tablespoon (7g) sugar
1 cup (226ml) milk, warmed at 105-115°F
2 ½ cup (284g) Organic Expresso bread flour
1 tablespoon (15g) butter, at room temperature
¾ teasp (5.6g) salt
2 tablespoons (15-20g) cornmeal
Clarified butter, as needed
Baker's Notes
This is a very light dough, so be mindful of not overproofing it on the final proof. It might be a little tricky to transfer to the pan, so please be very careful not to deflate the air pockets in the process.
The classic way to open an English Muffin is to use a fork and we wouldn’t do it any other way!
To develop a more complex flavor, you can ferment the dough in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours after mixing.
Clarified butter is butter that has had the milk solids removed. This allows a higher smoking point which means no burned butter. You can do this by melting butter at a low temp and you skim the white cloudy bits (the milk solids) until you get to that liquid gold. You can strain any remaining bits through a paper towel to get a fully “clear” clarified butter. Alternatively, you can purchase ghee, an Indian version of clarified butter, which is now available in many stores.
Instructions
- Combine instant yeast, sugar and milk in a mixing bowl of your electric stand mixer. Mix with a whisk to dissolve the yeast and sugar.
- Add bread flour followed by butter and mix with a dough hook until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add salt and mix for about 5 minutes if using a stand mixer, or for about 10 minutes, if mixing by hand, until smooth.
- Shape dough in a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl covered with plastic wrap. Ferment for 1 hour at room temperature or until doubled in size.
- Portion into 8 equal pieces (67g each) and shape them into squat rounds. While working on one piece, keep the other pieces covered with plastic wrap, to keep them from drying.
- Dip the top and bottom of each round into cornmeal. Leave the sides unmarked by the cornmeal.
- Place onto a silicone baking mat or a parchment-lined baking tray leaving about 2 inches of space between the pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. At this point, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat a pan on the stovetop on medium-low heat. Add a few drops of clarified butter to test. It should bubble but not sizzle.
- Once you’ve adjusted the heat of your pan, lightly brush it with clarified butter and add 1-3 english muffins to the pan, depending on the size of the muffins and the pan, leaving about ½ inch between the pieces.
- It should slowly begin to puff up and bubble after 3-5 minutes. Check the bottom and turn over once golden brown, adding more clarified butter to the pan if it was absorbed. Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until fully risen and golden brown.
- If the dough looks browned but still feels too soft in the center, place in an oven for no longer than 5 minutes to fully cook the inside.
- Repeat with the remaining muffins.
- Let rest for at least 1 hour before opening.
Baker's Notes
This is a very light dough, so be mindful of not overproofing it on the final proof. It might be a little tricky to transfer to the pan, so please be very careful not to deflate the air pockets in the process.
The classic way to open an English Muffin is to use a fork and we wouldn’t do it any other way!
To develop a more complex flavor, you can ferment the dough in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours after mixing.
Clarified butter is butter that has had the milk solids removed. This allows a higher smoking point which means no burned butter. You can do this by melting butter at a low temp and you skim the white cloudy bits (the milk solids) until you get to that liquid gold. You can strain any remaining bits through a paper towel to get a fully “clear” clarified butter. Alternatively, you can purchase ghee, an Indian version of clarified butter, which is now available in many stores.