The Best Homemade English Muffins
The Best Homemade English Muffins
If you want to make your english muffin making life easier, seek out some metal english muffin rings. They are fairly easy to find and not expensive. You can get away with just 4 of them. If you don't have rings, see the end of the recipe for alternate ideas.
This recipe is best with the powdered milk, so plan ahead and pick up a bit at the bulk or health food store (so you don't have to buy a big bag of it). Also, go with the shortening. It's only a tablespoon.
Makes 7-8 muffins.
ingredients
1/2 cup non-fat powdered milk
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 cup hot water
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) dry active yeast or 2 tsp. instant yeast
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
Non-stick vegetable spray
method
In a bowl combine the powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, shortening, and hot water, stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool.
In a separate bowl combine the yeast and 1/8 teaspoon of sugar in 1/3 cup of warm water and rest until yeast has dissolved. Add this to the dry milk mixture. Add the sifted flour and beat thoroughly with wooden spoon. Cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
Preheat a griddle to 300° F. (Alternately, since I don't have a griddle, use a large non-stick frying pan. Set the element to medium-low (half way between lo and medium). Too hot and the muffins will brown too much before the inside is cooked. You'll want to cook these over lower heat for longer to ensure that doesn't happen).
Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt to mixture and beat thoroughly.
Place metal rings onto the griddle or frying pan and coat lightly with vegetable spray. Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, place batter into each ring to fill each ring about half way up (they will rise as they cook!). Spread the batter around in the ring so that the batter is even and the bottom is completely covered. Cover with a pot lid or cookie sheet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes (check at about 3 minutes for browning and lower heat slightly if they seem they are browning too quickly). Remove the lid and flip rings using tongs. Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack, remove rings and cool. Muffins are still fairly moist right after cooking, so they better if left to sit for a bit before eating. Split with fork (don't use a knife, if you want those nooks and crannies) and serve.
Alternatives for muffin rings: Water chestnut cans, with tops and bottoms removed or, try tin foil. Wrap tin foil around a tuna can and cut a strip to the same height and diameter as the can. Cut 2 or 3 more strips the same size. Stack them up, form into a ring and use staples or a paper clip to secure the ring. Make 7 more, as they are not really reusable.
Adapted from an Alton Brown recipe
http://www.fortysomething.ca/2009/12/the_best_homemade_english_muffins.php