Homemade English Muffins. Soft, chewy, and full of nooks and crannies. No oven is required and they are so good for breakfast!
PREP TIME: 30 minutesminutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutesminutes
Rising Time 1 hourhour40 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME: 2 hourshours25 minutesminutes
Servings: 8muffins
Ingredients
3 cups (375grams)all purpose flour , (strong in the UK). Plus a little more for rolling.
2teaspoonsinstant yeast, sometimes called quick or fast action yeast
2teaspoonssugar, white or cane
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonbaking soda
2 tablespoons (30mls)liquid oil, such as vegetable, canola, sunflower, or light olive oil.
Approx 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (270mls)warm water
⅓ cup (53grams)cornmeal, or use more flour
INSTRUCTIONS
If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, add all ingredients (except the cornmeal) to the bowl and mix for around 7 - 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Once it starts coming together give it a little poke and add a drop or two more water if it feels dry, giving it a chance to mix in between additions. You are looking for it to become a very slightly tacky-to-touch smooth, elastic, and pliable dough.
If you don't have a stand mixer, add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix then pour in the water and oil. Stir briefly adding more water drop by drop as required to form into a shaggy dough. Then tip out onto a clean surface rubbed with some oil (not flour). Rub some oil onto your hands and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pliable. When kneaded properly, if you put your hands on either side of the ball of dough and squeeze inwards, it should bounce back slowly when you let go.
Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a wet tea towel. Leave in a draft-free area until it has doubled in size (this usually takes about 1 hour in my kitchen). You will get the best flavor by not rushing it so I advise just leaving it on the kitchen counter and not moving it somewhere really warm to speed it up.
While you're waiting, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it generously with cornmeal.
Once doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until about 1 inch thick and even all over. If it keeps springing back and is hard to roll, leave it to rest and relax for 5 minutes then try again.
Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to cut rounds and place them gently on the prepared baking sheet. If you don't have a cookie cutter use the top of a glass or mug. Be sure to cut carefully and get as many as you can out of the first batch of rolled dough because the muffins are always slightly better than those made with the remaining dough.
When you have cut as many as you can, ball up the remaining dough as gently as you can and re-roll it then cut out the remaining muffins.
Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with more cornmeal (or flour) then cover with the damp tea towel and leave again until almost doubled in size. It won't take as long this time. Usually about 30 minutes.
Heat a griddle, large cast iron pan, or large skillet/frying pan over medium-low heat. Leave it to preheat for a good 5 minutes. Don't use any oil.
Place as many muffins as will fit comfortably (with sufficient room to turn them easily), VERY gently on the griddle. It’s important to be as gentle as possible because you don’t want to knock any of the air out of them.
Cook undisturbed for 7 minutes until beautifully golden on the bottom. You need to have the heat just right so they can cook for long enough without burning. If you cook them too quickly they will get too dark before they are cooked through to the middle. Turn them down a bit if necessary. As they cook they will puff up like little balls.
After 7 minutes turn them over gently and cook for another 5 - 6 minutes on the other side. Once they are a deep golden brown transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool. Repeat with the remaining muffins.
NOTES
Store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.