Easy English Muffins

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Description

This English muffin was inspired by one served at the Model Bakery, in Napa, CA. Theirs are fried in clarified butter. I didn’t actually use their recipe, since I wanted to experiment with a simpler, faster method; but if it makes you feel any better, I did cook them in clarified butter.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast, divided
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for rolling
  • ¾ cup warm water, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons cornmeal, or as needed
  • ¼ cup clarified butter (ghee)

Instructions

  1. Place 1/4 cup flour
  2. yeast
  3. and 1/2 cup water in a mixing bowl. Whisk together and set aside for about 10 minutes to see if thin layer of foam develops to ensure yeast is active. Drizzle in vegetable oil; add salt
  4. egg white
  5. remaining 1 3/4 cup flour
  6. and remaining 1/4 cup warm water. Mix together until dough is very wet and sticky. Cover. Set in a warm spot and let rise until doubled
  7. about 2 hours.
  8. Pull dough gently from sides of bowl
  9. stirring slightly
  10. and turn out onto a well-floured rolling surface. Work in just enough flour until dough is easily handled and can be cut into 6 pieces
  11. about 1 minute. Cut dough into 6 equal portions. Form a seamless ball of dough
  12. adding a pinch of flour to keep it from sticking. Flatten to make thick disks. Transfer dough onto a lined baking sheet sprinkled generously with cornmeal. Let rise until doubled
  13. about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  14. Add clarified butter to skillet over medium heat. Carefully transfer muffin disks to skillet. Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Brown on one side
  15. 5 or 6 minutes. Turn
  16. and brown the other side
  17. 5 or 6 minutes. Continue turning to get muffins evenly browned and cooked through
  18. 7 or 8 minutes total per side. Transfer to a cooking rack and cool completely (this is key as you can’t split the muffins unless they are cooled).
  19. Split cooled muffins with a fork
  20. inserting tines all the way around edges so the 2 sides can be pulled apart. Toast and serve with jam.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 14 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 34 mins

Servings: 6

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