Always Better Homemade

Day 105: They're always better when they're homemade. I may not be much of a cook otherwise, but I am proud of my baking skills, especially when it comes to bread products. English muffins are a favourite. They are made from a soft dough which requires no kneading. First of all, however, you will need to have the forms/rings. Amazon has quite a few different styles, and they usually come in sets of 12. Mine are tinned, and roughly 50 years old. Modern versions are likely to be stainless steel. My recipe as given below is lavishly adapted from one in an old cookbook, and delivers light, airy muffins with a marvelous crumb.

2 1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 + 1 1/2 tsp. butter
1 3/4 cups scalded milk
2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast
1/4 cup water
1 egg
3 1/4 cups bread flour
Cornmeal

Place the salt, sugar and butter in a large bowl and pour the scalded milk over them. Stir to dissolve, and then cool to lukewarm. Soften the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Give it about 15 minutes to fully activate. Add one cup of flour to the milk mixture and beat well. Add softened yeast and egg, and beat until fully combined. Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing thoroughly until a good batter forms. The batter will be soft. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm location for 1 1/2 hours.

Grease two cookie sheets and the insides of the muffin rings. Sprinkle the sheets and rings with a light dusting of cornmeal. Spoon batter into rings and "encourage" it to adhere to the sides by pushing it out until it sticks. Dust the tops of each muffin with more cornmeal and pat each one flat. Cover with a cloth and let rise for an hour. Bake at 425 degrees for 14 minutes, flipping the muffins over halfway through the bake time. Once baked, remove the rings. When cool, split with a fork by inserting it into the sides of each muffin all the way around. Lift the halves apart. These freeze very well. Makes a dozen delicious muffins just begging for butter or homemade jam.