Make English Muffins at Home!

Once you taste these english muffins hot off the grill, you'll never buy them again!  Simple ingredients and no special tools required.  It's the perfect combination of crispy and melty.  For a healthier multi-grain version, just substitute half of the white flour for whole wheat!

I usually have King Arthur flour on hand, so this recipe is similar to the one on their website:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/english-muffins-recipe

However, I made these without a bread machine, added a little more flour, and some buttermilk for a sourdough type of flavor.

• 3/4 Cups Warm Milk
• 3/4 Cups Warm Buttermilk
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 Beaten Large Egg
• 4 3/4 Cups Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Yeast
• Semolina to Prevent Pan Sticking

Add butter and milk into a glass or plastic container and microwave for 10-15 seconds at a time until butter is almost completely melted.  *Do not overheat the milk as this will cause the yeast to die.  Place the rest of the ingredients (Except Semolina) into a large glass bowl.  Make a hole in the center of the flour and pour the milk mixture inside.  Stir with a spatula until the dough becomes very smooth and sticky.  Knead the rest by hand about five minutes, then cover and let sit for 90 minutes or dough has doubled.  

Once the dough has doubled, punch down and separate into small balls.  If preferred, you can roll the dough out and use a muffin ring or glass to press the dough into a perfect circle.  I like them all a bit different, so I roll them into a ball and press them flat.  Heat a cast iron pan or griddle to a medium to low temperature.  Sprinkle each side lightly with the semolina and place on the grill, they should puff up while cooking.  Turn once, and let rest for a few minutes.  

Chef's Tip: To retain all the beautiful texture on the inside, do not cut with a knife.  Rather, split them with a fork and return them to the pan to toast the inside.