Sourdough English Muffins

 Here are some great english muffins that you can easily make. Sourdough starter adds savory flavor. 

During the Pandemic, it has been hard to find English muffins. Even before, it was hard to find really GOOD English muffins. They often are bland, or thin, or small, or lacking in texture and body. I have created a recipe that uses both sourdough starter and commercial yeast. The starter is to provide flavor and texture to the dough; the yeast is to give a rapid rise on the final dough and during baking.

Sourdough English Muffins

Makes one dozen.

Materials to have on hand:

4 English muffin rings or baking rings

Circular cutter matching the size of the rings

bread flour

corn meal

salt

sourdough starter

instant yeast

milk, egg, water

    

The night before you want to bake the muffins, make the Poolish:

Poolish:

In a medium-size bowl, combine the following:

1 cup bread flour

1 cup sourdough starter

1/4 cup water

Mix ingredients until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave on counter overnight.

The next morning, your poolish should be risen and bubbly like this:

The next morning, in electric mixer bowl, combine the following to make the final dough:

Final Dough:

1 1/2 cups bread flour

4 tsp non-iodized salt

3 tsp instant yeast

1 egg, blended with 1/4 cup milk

1 Tablespoon softened butter

The Poolish from the first step

Mix dough on low speed until combined. Allow to sit for 10 minutes (the autolyze)

Continue kneading either by machine for 6 minutes on medium speed, or by hand for 10 minutes

The dough should be very soft, smooth and elastic.

Put in greased bowl, cover and allow to rise in 75-80 degree environment for 1 hour.

Dump out the dough on a floured board. Very lightly, with floured hands, flatten somewhat. Then, with a floured rolling pin, gently even out the thickness to 3/4 inch. Do not push down with the rolling pin, but rather let the weight of the rolling pin do the work.

The dough is very soft, so this happens quickly:

With a circular cutter the same size as your muffin rings, cut out the muffins, then lift with a thin spatula and place on a baking sheet which has been heavily coated with corn meal.

Allow the muffins to rise for 30 minutes.

Heat a griddle or flat-bottomed pan, medium hot. A cast iron skillet is ideal. Do not grease the surface.

When the pan is hot, lightly grease the inside of the muffin rings. Place the four rings on top of the heated skillet. Using a thin, flexible spatula, transfer four of the muffins from the rising sheet, and place inside the rings. 

Let the muffins cook for 2 minutes. Flip, rings and all, then cook for 6 minutes. Flip once more and cook for 4 more minutes, for a total of 12 minutes in all.  If your skillet is hot enough, the muffins will be cooked and medium golden brown on both sides. If they are still pale, turn up the heat slightly and continue cooking. (If they are too dark, your skillet is too hot and they may not have cooked through.)

Cool completely on rack.  When you fork split and open one up, it should resemble the one below. Cooked through and medium bubbles throughout.  Enjoy!