Recipe Testing: English Muffins

    Today Heather and I decided to test a couple of English Muffin recipes that I have been developing.  We have picked are favorite one and we are thrilled to be able to bring this with us to the cafes in Central Asia.  It is such a versatile item that we will be able to use on the menu in a variety of ways including the ever popular breakfast sandwich.  Below I have shared my recipe with you so that you can try it at home. It is very easy to prepare at home and the quality is far superior to the English Muffins you find sold by your average grocer.  Please share with us in the comment section below, what is your favorite way to eat an English Muffin?

Ingredients:
2 cups Whole Milk (divided into two parts one part measuring 1.5 cups the other measuring 0.5 cups)
1 TB Sugar
1.5 tsp Salt
3 TB Melted Butter
2.5 tsp Instant Dry Yeast
1 Egg* (see note below)
2 cups AP Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cornmeal for dusting the English Muffins

*The egg in this recipe is optional.  When we tried the recipe with the egg the English Muffins had more structure and a slightly denser more spongy texture which we preferred.

Procedure:
1.  Take the part of milk measuring 0.5 cup and warm it slightly in the microwave for about 10 seconds.  Be careful not to make it too hot as it will kill the power of the yeast.  (it should be just warm) Whisk the warm milk into the yeast in a small bowl and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile Stir together the egg, sugar, salt, melted butter, and the rest of the milk.

3.  Once the milk and yeast finish blooming, add them to the other milk mixture.

4.  Stir in the flour and and baking soda and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 5-10 minutes to develop the gluten.  If you have a kitchen aide or hand mixer you can mix the batter on medium high speed for about 3-5 minutes to develop the gluten.  At this point it will look very much like the consistency of a batter.

5.  Allow the batter to rest and rise for about 45 minutes.  During this time preheat a griddle on the stove or an electric griddle to 300 degrees F.  If you are doing it on the stove, medium low heat works pretty well.

6.  Spray the griddle and your english muffin rings with vegetable spray. (for english muffin rings you can also you pastry ring cutter or even small tuna cans with the top and bottom lids removed. Spread a small amount of your cornmeal on the bottom of the griddle.  Place your rings on the griddle and ladle the batter into them so they are filled about 2/3 of the way to the top. Sprinkle some additional cornmeal on the tops of the muffins.  Cook on each side for 5-6 minutes, flipping them once with a spatula, to achieve a golden brown top and bottom and cooked interior.
* If your muffins start to get golden brown on the exterior and you think they are not yet fully cooked on the inside you can pop them into the oven for a few minutes to finish them off.