Description
Homemade English Muffins made with a sourdough starter, offering a light, airy texture full of nooks and crannies. This recipe requires an overnight fermentation to develop flavor and can be cooked on a griddle or pan for a traditional taste and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
The Night Before (8 hours before)
- 1 cup (180 g) active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) honey
- 2 cups (488 g) milk
- 4 cups (500 g) all purpose flour, unbleached
Next Morning
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour, unbleached (up to 2 cups as needed)
To Cook the English Muffins
- Cornmeal for dusting griddle or semolina or farina
Instructions
- Mix initial ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sourdough starter, milk, honey, and flour. Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours to ferment and develop flavor.
- Add remaining ingredients: The next morning, add baking soda and salt by sprinkling them on top of the dough, then add 1 cup of flour. Knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes using a stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Rest and roll out dough: Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then roll it out to about 1/2 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut muffins: Use a 3 to 4 inch circle cutter or round glass to cut rounds from the dough. Place each on a greased baking sheet generously dusted with cornmeal. Reroll scraps to cut additional muffins, making up to 18 small or 9 large muffins total.
- Proof muffins: Cover the muffins lightly with sprayed or oiled plastic wrap and allow them to rise for about 1 hour at room temperature until puffy.
- Cook muffins: Preheat a griddle or non-stick frying pan to 325°F (medium-low heat). Generously dust with cornmeal or semolina. Cook muffins a few at a time, about 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and a thermometer registers 190°F in the center. Cover the pan while cooking to aid cooking through.
Notes
- Split muffins with a fork, not a knife, to maximize the classic nooks and crannies.
- The internal temperature of cooked muffins should reach 190°F for doneness.
- Any griddle, electric griddle, or frying pan with a flat surface can be used for cooking.
- Always sprinkle cornmeal, semolina, or farina on the cooking surface to prevent sticking, and use vegetable oil spray if surface is not non-stick.
- Check muffins’ bottoms after a few minutes to avoid burning and control heat.
- Leftover muffins freeze well for up to one month when stored properly.
- For sourdough discard use without baking soda, add 2-3 teaspoons instant yeast, and modify rising times accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 small English muffin
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
