This past month, my household and I have been on a mission to master the perfect homemade English Muffin. Mind you, the process has not been easy. Every few days, we start from the beginning – taking days to bake the most beautiful piece of breakfast dough. After a long process, we have finally found the best combination of a recipe – thanks to Model Bakery in Napa Valley. Check the recipe out, and be sure to make them for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients:
Step 1: Biga
-1/2 cup of Bread Flour
-1/4 cup of water
-1/4 tsp instant yeastStep 2: Dough
-1 1/3 cup of water
-3/4 tsp instant yeast
-1 tsp + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
-1 1/2 tsp fine salt
-3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flourAdditional Ingredients:
-1/4 cup cornmeal
-6 tbsp melted unsalted butter
Instructions:
1. For the biga, be sure to make the night before you plan to make the English muffins.
2. Combine the flour, water, and yeast in a small bowl to make the sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a paper towel tightly, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
3. To make the dough, combine the biga, water, yeast, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl. Beat the ingredients until the mixture becomes creamy (about one to two minutes.)
4. Cover the mixture in plastic wrap or a paper towel and let it sit for at least 20 minutes.
5. Knead the dough until it is smooth and plastic. Then roll the dough into round balls.
6. Once the dough is shaped, place oil in a medium bowl. Put the dough into the bowl, and cover the dough in oil, leaving the dough smooth side up. Let the dough sit in a warm place for 6 hours, or in the refrigerator for eight to 12 hours. (If you put it in the refrigerator, let the dough sit in warm temperature for 1 hour.)
7. Take the dough out of the bowl, then cut the dough into round pieces. Shape each piece of dough to 4 inch circles and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle an even layer of cornmeal over the dough, then cover the baking sheet loosely.
8. Let the dough sit for at least an hour. (If you want super fluffy English muffins, I would suggest letting it sit overnight.)
9. Melt the butter into a skillet over medium heat. In batches add the dough to the skillet. Cook, adjusting the heat until the English muffins become brown. Repeat, adding more butter until all the muffins are done.
10. Split the muffins in half, toast, and enjoy!
