Since I was a kid, I have always liked the smell of yeast and dough whisking around in the kitchen, My grandmother made some of the best rolls,
ever. I've only had one in all those years that had that same taste as my grandmother's rolls. So when I got to wondering in the pantry this afternoon and I came across my guarded stash of yeast packets, I knew that baking was going to be the task of the afternoon, I just didn't know what I wanted to make.
When I got down the ole cookbook and started thumbing through the yeast bread pages I came across
something I had always wondered about but never thought to investigate further. That was: English Muffins. Within seconds the yeast was out of the packet and dissolving in my little yeast cup. Flour was going into the big mixing bowl and salt and cornmeal and warm milk and three tablespoons of vegetable oil were going in on top of the flour. Then, looking at the yeast cup, it was time to add the yeast. When the dough was molded into a ball, it went back into the bowl and was covered with a towel. In an hour, it had doubled itself and was ready to be pushed out into a quarter of an inch thickness on the sheet and cut with a three inch cutter. Never mind the cut tuna can rings and that distraction. Cover a cookie sheet with cornmeal and flatten out the dough. Cut and leave on the cookie sheet.
Here is the most amazing thing. Take a cast iron griddle and lightly film with oil. Cook the cut-outs 10 minutes on one side and then 5 minutes on the other. Cool on a cooling rack. I couldn't wait more than a half hour before I took my bread knife, sliced one in half and popped it in the toaster. When it came out, I loaded it with butter and when it was all over, I had done that four times! I'll never buy another tray of English Muffins ever again.
ever. I've only had one in all those years that had that same taste as my grandmother's rolls. So when I got to wondering in the pantry this afternoon and I came across my guarded stash of yeast packets, I knew that baking was going to be the task of the afternoon, I just didn't know what I wanted to make.
When I got down the ole cookbook and started thumbing through the yeast bread pages I came across
something I had always wondered about but never thought to investigate further. That was: English Muffins. Within seconds the yeast was out of the packet and dissolving in my little yeast cup. Flour was going into the big mixing bowl and salt and cornmeal and warm milk and three tablespoons of vegetable oil were going in on top of the flour. Then, looking at the yeast cup, it was time to add the yeast. When the dough was molded into a ball, it went back into the bowl and was covered with a towel. In an hour, it had doubled itself and was ready to be pushed out into a quarter of an inch thickness on the sheet and cut with a three inch cutter. Never mind the cut tuna can rings and that distraction. Cover a cookie sheet with cornmeal and flatten out the dough. Cut and leave on the cookie sheet.
Here is the most amazing thing. Take a cast iron griddle and lightly film with oil. Cook the cut-outs 10 minutes on one side and then 5 minutes on the other. Cool on a cooling rack. I couldn't wait more than a half hour before I took my bread knife, sliced one in half and popped it in the toaster. When it came out, I loaded it with butter and when it was all over, I had done that four times! I'll never buy another tray of English Muffins ever again.
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| Home made English Muffins |
