Baked English Muffins

These beautiful, high-rising English muffins are baked, not cooked on a griddle. While their interior isn't filled with the signature fissures of a griddle-baked English muffin, their texture is still craggy enough to trap and hold butter and jam — which is the point, after all.

Hands-on: 20 to 32 min | Bake: 25 to 30 min | Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Hi-maize Natural Fiber
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Pizza Dough Flavor (optional)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons granualted sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm milk*
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 teaspoons vinegar, white or cider
• Cornmeal or semolina to coat the muffins

Instructions

1. Stir together all the ingredients except the semolina or cornmeal. Beat for 1 minute at high speed of an electric mixer; the dough will become somewhat smooth.
2. Scrape the dough into the center of the bowl, cover, and allow it to rise for about 60 minutes, until it's quite puffy.
3. Grease a large (18 x 13 inch) baking sheet; or line with parchment. Grease twelve 3 3/4 inch English muffin rings, and place them on the baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle semolina or cornmeal into each ring.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased or floured work surface. Cut it into 12 equal pieces; each will weigh a scant 2 ounces, or about 54g.
6. Shape the dough into balls. Place each ball into a ring, pressing it down to flatten somewhat. Sprinkle with a bit more cornmeal or semolina, and top with a greased baking sheet (or a sheet of parchment, then the baking sheet). The baking sheet should be resting atop the rings.
7. Let the muffins rise for about 60 to 90 minutes, until they've puffed up noticeably. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
8. Bake the risen muffins for 10 minutes. Flip the pans over, and bake for 5 minutes more.
9. Remove the top pan, and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until they're a light golden brown, and the interior of one registers about 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
10. Remove the muffins from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool. Remove their rings as soon as you're able.
11. When completely cool, store muffins in a plastic bag.

Notes

* Or substitute 1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) Bakers' Special Dry Milk, and 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) lukewarm water; don't mix them together, the dry milk doesn't reconstitute.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: King Arthur Flour