These homemade (and surprisingly easy) english muffins take on a richer, bolder flavor when you allow the dough to rise slowly in the fridge overnight.
I remember my mom buying english muffins a lot when I was growing up. They’re a fast and easy breakfast, and nothing is as delicious as a toasted english muffin drenched in butter. But up until recently, I haven’t had them or even really thought about them in a long time. A few weeks ago I was grocery shopping when a bag of them caught my eye. On a whim, I bought them. I was planning on using them to make breakfast sandwiches, but when I toasted one and spread butter into all its nooks and crannies, I realized that that’s the best way to eat an english muffin. And it got me thinking; how hard could it be to make them? After a little research I realized it’s actually easy, and I tailored a few recipes to come up with the perfect version: homemade slow rise english muffins.
“BAKING” ENGLISH MUFFINS
I never really thought about how english muffins get that golden brown circle of crust on the top and bottom. I just assumed it came from a traditional bake in the oven. But the truth is that you don’t bake them, you actually cook them on a flat surface on the stovetop. I chose to “bake” my english muffins on a cast iron griddle. It has a large surface, and cast iron heats super evenly. But you could just as easily use a large pan. Simply set the pan or griddle over a low heat (so the english muffins don’t burn) and toast them for 9-12 minutes on each side, until golden. I was able to cook mine all the way through (a thermometer should register at 190 for fully cooked bread) but if yours aren’t completely cooked, you can throw them into a 350 oven for a few minutes until they are.
A TASTIER DOUGH
The dough for this recipe is actually a pretty simple one. It’s got yeast, flour, milk and a little butter and egg to fortify it slightly. But I wanted to provide a little extra flavor to my english muffins, so I chose to let the dough rise in the fridge overnight. This allows the yeast to work more slowly, thereby developing a richer, more “sourdough” flavor to the dough. You could also try using a sourdough starter or a poolish, which will also provide a little extra flavor. Of course, if you didn’t have time to let your dough rise overnight, these english muffins can just as easily be made day-of.
Slow Rise English Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup lukewarm milk
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- semolina flour
- olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except olive oil and semolina into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the dough until it is shiny and starting to come away from the sides of the bowl, 5 minutes.
- Scrape the dough into a ball. Coat a second large bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to this bowl, turning it to coat it in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise on the counter for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the dough the the fridge and let rise overnight. Alternatively, if you don't have time to let the dough rise overnight, you can let it rise on the counter for 1 1/2 hours.
- When you are ready to make the english muffins, remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes. Prepare a large griddle or pan by coating it with a generous amount of semolina flour. Since the english muffin dough is sticky, you will let the muffins rise directly on this surface. If you don't have a pan or griddle large enough for all of them, you can cook them in batches and let some rise on a baking sheet coated with semolina flour.
- Gently deflate the dough. Divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each of these pieces into a smooth ball and flatten into a disk about 3-4 inches in diameter. Transfer these muffins to your prepared griddle or pan, cover and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
- Cook the english muffins over low heat for 10-15 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (a thermometer in the center of the muffins should register 190). If they are beginning to get too dark and not cooked through, trasnfer them to a 350 oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, until cooked.
- Allow the english muffins to cool completely. Use your thumbs to split them open for optimal nooks and crannies. Toast or eat fresh with butter and jam.
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