There is no one definitive answer to this question, as there are many different ways to make English muffins. However, one traditional recipe calls for flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and water to be combined and kneaded together to form a dough. This dough is then left to rise for several hours before being shaped into muffins and baked.
(Note:Over here, and in England, these are just called muffins, and arethe ones in the song about the Muffin Man who lives in Drury Lane.
They didactually sell them door-to-door every morning in London until the turn ofthe century or thereabouts.
) .
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl andleave in a warm place.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/4 pt of the warmmilk and water.
Leave to froth, then mix in the fat.
Stir all the liquidinto the warm flour and beat well until smooth and elastic.
Cover and provein a warm place for 50 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Turn onto awell-floured board and knead, working a little more flour if necessary tomake the dough easier to shape.
Round up the dough, roll into a thicksausage shape and (using the sharpest knife you have) slice into 8 to 10portions, each about 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 inch thick.
Shape each one into a roundwith straight sides.
Put onto a greased baking sheet.
Cover (I use greased plastic wrap) and put in a warm place to prove for30-40 minutes or until springy to the touch.
Leave room for expansion andbe careful not to over-prove, as the muffins will get flabby and lose theirshape.
Warm and grease the bakestone lightly.
Lift the muffins carefully onto the bakestone and cook over very moderateheat for 8-10 minutes until pale gold underneath.
Turn and cook the otherside.
Wrap in a cloth and keep warm if cooking in batches.
To serve, insert a knife in the side, pull the top and bottom slightlyapart, and insert slivers of butter.
These are strongly recommended.
Thetaste of them hot off the bakestone, griddle or frying pan makes Thomas'slook very poor indeed by comparison.
Ingredients
Directions
(Note:Over here, and in England, these are just called muffins, and arethe ones in the song about the Muffin Man who lives in Drury Lane.
They didactually sell them door-to-door every morning in London until the turn ofthe century or thereabouts.
) .
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl andleave in a warm place.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/4 pt of the warmmilk and water.
Leave to froth, then mix in the fat.
Stir all the liquidinto the warm flour and beat well until smooth and elastic.
Cover and provein a warm place for 50 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Turn onto awell-floured board and knead, working a little more flour if necessary tomake the dough easier to shape.
Round up the dough, roll into a thicksausage shape and (using the sharpest knife you have) slice into 8 to 10portions, each about 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 inch thick.
Shape each one into a roundwith straight sides.
Put onto a greased baking sheet.
Cover (I use greased plastic wrap) and put in a warm place to prove for30-40 minutes or until springy to the touch.
Leave room for expansion andbe careful not to over-prove, as the muffins will get flabby and lose theirshape.
Warm and grease the bakestone lightly.
Lift the muffins carefully onto the bakestone and cook over very moderateheat for 8-10 minutes until pale gold underneath.
Turn and cook the otherside.
Wrap in a cloth and keep warm if cooking in batches.
To serve, insert a knife in the side, pull the top and bottom slightlyapart, and insert slivers of butter.
These are strongly recommended.
Thetaste of them hot off the bakestone, griddle or frying pan makes Thomas'slook very poor indeed by comparison.
