Donna's Blog: Homemade English Muffins and Egg Muffin Sandwiches

I cook from scratch whenever possible. No additives, no preservatives, no complicated list of ingredients that sound more like chemistry lab than a kitchen. I can foods, make bread in my bread machine, and make big batches of soup to freeze.

I looked for an English muffin recipe for a long time. How hard could it be? There was no recipe in "Joy of Cooking", "Betty Crocker", "McCall's" or any other cookbook that I have. I had no luck on the Internet either. Then one day, I was watching "Good Eats" with Alton Brown. Lo and behold, he was making English muffins! I've adapted this recipe from the Food Network Web site.

Homemade English Muffins

These English muffins are big, moist and fluffy. After you've made them, you won't get them at the store or drive-thru again! I'll make a batch and give them as a gift with homemade raspberry jam. The egg muffin sandwiches are a great gift at Christmas for breakfast or brunch.

I like a dusting of cornmeal on both sides of English muffins. Simply don't add it if you don't like it. I've found that substituting 1/4 cup bread flour for 1/4 cup of all purpose flour aids rising.

Ingredients

First bowl

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
2 cups very hot water
1 cup powdered milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of salt (1 of 2)
4 cups all purpose flour or 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon of salt (2 of 2)
Cornmeal for dusting
Vegetable oil to coat pan or griddle

Second bowl

2 packages active dried yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup warm water-100 to 110 degrees

Stats

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 12-16

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups very hot water and 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening.
Stir until shortening has melted.
Add 1 cup powdered milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt (1 of 2).
In a second bowl, combine 2 packages active dried yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 2/3 cup warm water (100-110 degrees).
Stir gently until yeast is dissolved.
Add 2 cups of flour to ingredients in main bowl.
Add yeast mixture to main bowl.
Add remaining flour to main bowl and stir to combine evenly.
Let rise for 45 minutes in warm area. I don't cover the bowl because the dough sticks to the towel.

Dough after rising before salt

Dough after rising after salt

Add 1 teaspoon of salt (2 of 2) and stir until dough has deflated.
Brush surface of skillet or griddle with vegetable oil.
Place egg rings on surface.
Set heat at 300 degrees. This may be higher or lower with your skillet or griddle.
Put 1/2 teaspoon of corn meal in egg ring (optional).
Put 1/3 cup dougn in each egg ring. Sprinkle with corn meal if desired.
Cook on one side until golden brown, 4 1/2 to 5 minutes depending on your appliance.
Flip to cook on other side, about four minutes.
Remove and place on cooling rack.
Refrigerate or freeze to store.