English Muffins In The Bread Machine Recipes

Steps:

• Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the dough cycle.
• Divide dough into two unequal parts, and shape into loaves. Place in one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and one 7 x 3 inch loaf pan; non-stick pans are preferable, but greased and floured normal pans will suffice. Cover, and allow to raise until doubled in size.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for about 15 minutes. Grandma bakes hers longer for a more browned and chewier crust.

Steps:

• 1. Place ingredients into the bread maker pan according to manufacturers suggestion. (Mine is wet on the bottom, dry on top, make a small well in the dry and place the yeast in that). Program your machine for dough cycle. Check your booklet to see what time the last rise will be on the dough and set a timer. Midway through the second kneading cycle, check the dough; it should be soft, smooth and slightly sticky. If needed, adjust the dough's consistency with additional flour or water, if necessary (you may need to use more flour -- or less water -- in the summer.) This dough will not be a light, fluffy dough, but a heavier dough. For a true English muffin effect, remove the dough after either the final kneading or before the final rise and roll it in cornmeal, or you can sprinkle it onto the top and gently press it down into the dough. Remove the dough for last rise. Place the dough into the bread pan that has been sprayed with a non stick spray and then cornmeal has been sprinkled on. Gently press the very dense mixture into the loaf and dust top with cornmeal. Cover the pan with a towel and let it rise until it has barely crowned the rim of the pan. This should be about an hour.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the cover and bake for 22-27 minutes and golden brown with internal temperature of 190°F.
• 3. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes or so before turning it out of the pan onto a rack. Let bread cool completely before slicing. I recommend to make this the night before and let it sit to cool overnight (I left mine on the wire rack and covered it with a large bowl so air would still circulate but it would be protected).

Steps:

• Put milk, butter, sugar, salt, mixed egg and yolk, flour and yeast in bread maker and set on dough setting.When dough is ready cut into 3 pieces and put cornmeal on a flat surface and roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness, while rolling turn dough over to coat other side with cornmeal. Cut out 3 inch circles. Lay on ungreased cookie sheet to rise for 30 minutes Heat ungreased frying pan between low and medium heat, cook each side 6 to 8 minutes till golden brown.

Steps:

• *Note* If you don't have a bread machine, you can follow the same instructions, kneading dough by hand or with a Kitchenaid for 10-12 minutes until smooth and elastic, as you would for bread. If you don't have an electric griddle, a heavy frying pan will work just as well.
• Warm milk in a glass measuring cup in microwave until lukewarm and add to bread machine pan. Add softened butter and beaten egg to bread pan.
• Measure and level bread flour carefully. Add on top of milk mixture. Level with back of spoon. Then add on top of flour, salt on one side of flour and yeast and sugar on the other side.
• Set bread machine to "Mix" and begin cycle. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides until dough is mixed uniformly, 5-7 minutes. Then, cancel cycle.
• Now set bread machine to "Basic" and let run through the first kneading cycle and the entire first rise. After the first rise, cancel cycle. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, then sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside.
• Remove dough to lightly floured (1 or 2 tb. should do) pastry mat or counter top. Using a rolling pin, evenly flatten dough to allow for 11-12, four inch rounds, approximately 3/4" thick. Dough is fairly forgiving, so if you need to re-roll, you can. Cut your dough with a 4" biscuit cutter and place rounds on prepared cookie sheet.
• When all of your dough has been cut, brush lightly with melted butter and then sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover with wax paper and allow to rest for 30 minutes in a warm, draft free location.
• Heat electric griddle to 300-325 degrees. Place 4-6 muffins on the griddle and watch closely. They can burn if you're not careful. Using a spatula, check the bottoms until they are nicely browned and then flip. Mine took 7-10 minutes per side, but watch closely as all griddles are different. Let the second side brown. Then, using a thin wooden skewer, insert into the side of a muffin reaching the center to check for doneness. When removed, skewer should be free of any raw batter. You can also use an instant read thermometer and remove from heat at approximately 195 degrees.
• When done, place on a metal baking rack until cool. Then store in ziplock bags. When ready to eat, split with a fork and toast.