I love bread. I’m on a quest: to find bread recipes like the bread you buy in the store. What? Why not just buy the bread in the store you say. Because I want to make it and use my food storage.
I have been on the look out for a English muffin recipe for a couple years and have been disappointed with the few I have tried. They all lacked the “Famous nooks and crannies” which hold all that melted butter, and were just dry, nasty, and a lot of work. I’m proud to say I have found the ultimate English muffin recipe. I can say ultimate because it comes from non other than the infamous Alton Brown. And its supper easy to make.
What you will need:
NOT A MIXER OR A BREAD MACHINE! And you can keep all your rings on, you wont even be touching the dough.
A bowl, liquid measuring cup, canning rings, griddle or the pan you cook pancakes in or a dutch oven skillet with a lid, and a cookie scoop.
EASY.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup non-fat powdered milk
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon shortening (I used butter)
1 cup hot water
1 envelope dry yeast or
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
In a large bowl combine milk, sugar, shortening, and 1/4 tsp of the salt with the hot water.
In liquid measuring cup proof yeast in warm water with the 1/8 tsp of sugar. (Proofing is the word used for making sure you activated or awakened your yeast from hibernation. It does two things; ensures you didn’t kill the yeast with too hot of water, and if your yeast is old it lets you know its sill alive. I like to whisk my yeast and water ensuring all the yeast gets dissolved. The mixture is activated when it starts to get foamy. The sugar is yeast food and will help it get foamy faster.)
Add proofed yeast to the bowl along with with the flour.
Mix well with a wooden spoon or any mixing spoon, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 40-60 minutes. The longer it rests, the more air bubbles, which equals more nooks and crannies for your butter!
Add reaming 3/4 tsp salt (salt kills yeast that’s why the majority of it is added at the end). Mix well. Now our dough is ready for cooking. I told you it was easy.
These muffins are cooked on the stove or on a (griddle at 350F) and the key to not burning them is low heat. I cooked mine on the 4 but next time I will use the 3 setting on my stove. Very important! make sure you pan is preheated before you start cooking. Now, that your pan is hot arrange your canning rings in your pan (don’t over crowd them) spray with cooking spray and use your cookie scoop to fill-em-up, but don’t fill them too full, they will rise a bit as they cook. Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes on each side. To open, split them with your fingers or a fork.
And voilà English muffins complete with nooks and crannies. So good (and easy) there is no need to buy them from the store any more.
You will not be disappointed.
But this one.
Fields4ev 
