If you like big fluffy high rising English muffins like Wolferman's, this is a good start. The recipe makes tall English muffins with lots of nooks and crannies. It's also really easy. There's no kneading involved and you don't even have to turn on the oven.
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English Muffin Equipment
For best results there's some equipment you'll need. You can improvise, but it's really helpful to have the following things:
- An electric skillet or a lidded nonstick sauté pan
- English muffin rings
- A thermometer for measuring the temperature of the liquid
When I first started making high rising English muffins I didn't have the muffin rings, so I rigged up my some jankety foil ones. They may not be picture perfect, but they got the job done. Now I own actual rings.
I also bought an electric skillet, which is a handy piece of equipment if you have room for it. You can definitely make these with just a lidded nonstick skillet or saute pan, but it will involve a little more trial and error to determine the best timing. Case in point. But this is stuff you learn when you teach yourself (with a little help from Alton Brown).
Delayed Salt Method
One interesting thing about this recipe is that it uses the delayed salt method. I have been so amazed with how the delayed salt method contributes to a higher rise (particularly in ciabatta). The yeast just works better when the salt is added at a later point in the recipe. In this case, you add half teaspoon of it upfront and a half teaspoon after the rise.
Ingredients
- Whole Milk Powder -- In the past I used whole milk rather than milk powder. Now I always have milk powder on hand and use that. My favorite brand is Bob's Red Mill.
- All-Purpose Flour -- Any brand should work. I like King Arthur for English muffins.
- Active Dry Yeast -- The rise time for these is only 30 minutes, but I still use regular active dry which gets dissolved in the milk mixture. I will update when I test with instant.
- Shortening -- For greasing the rings, plus 1 tablespoon goes into the batter. I use Spectrum brand.
- Water
- Sugar
- Salt
I recommend taking photos of your first bread attempts even if you don't have a food blog. As you bake, you can measure your progress. Some people seem to make picture perfect breads on their first try, but that is not the case with most of us! Here's a picture of my first round of high rising English muffins. I'm glad I kept it around.
Recipe
English Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup milk powder (80 grams)
- 1 tablespoon sugar, plus a teaspoon (16-18 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided use
- 1 tablespoon shortening (Spectrum) (12 grams)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
- ⅓ cup warm water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine boiling water, milk powder, sugar, ½ teaspoon of the salt and stir well. Let cool to about 115 to 120 degrees F. (I use a microwave-safe mixing bowl, so if the mixture gets too cool too fast, I can heat it for a few seconds in the microwave).
- Add the yeast to the 115 to 120 degree milk mixture, then stir in the flour. Mix well with a wooden spoon (or heavy duty scraper) then stir in another ⅓ cup of warm water. Mix as best you can (it will probably be lumpy and you may see bits of dried milk), then cover and let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes. Measure out the second ½ teaspoon of salt and keep it near the bowl.
- Towards the end of the 30 minutes, begin preheating a large lidded skillet or better yet, an electric skillet to 300 degrees F.
- After 30 minutes, stir the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt into the risen English muffin mixture.
- Place greased metal (or homemade foil)English muffin rings in the pan.
- Using about a ⅓ cup measure, spoon dough into rings. Cover skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes. Remove the lid and turn rings using spatula or tongs. Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown.
- Place on a cooling rack, and when cool enough to touch remove the rings.
- Before serving, split the muffins and toast.
Molly says
I eat english muffins everyday but have never tried to make them from scratch. I'm scared I would set off the smoke alarm too!
Louise says
Water chestnut cans and pineapple cans are slightly bigger than tuna cans, actually just about the right size.
Mackenzie@ The Caramel Cookie says
I've made Alton's recipe too a I liked it. Mine didn't come out as tall because I didn't have 3 inch rings. Next time I'll just make them 🙂
s says
Im def gonna try these. They look real good.
Louise says
I'll have to look at the Dawn Power Dissolve. The metallurgist uses Bar Keepers Friend when he needs a fine abrasive to clean the pots. Things like beans always leave stains in the stainless pans, even though they aren't burned.
Anna says
Louise, I am glad you asked. I have a fix for that. Have you ever heard of Dawn Power Dissolve? It's a more powerful version of Dawn soap that comes in a spray bottle. It cuts through grease like a knife! I bought it to help clean spatters off the oven door, but it's great on metal cookware.
My pan was a wreck after the burnt muffins, but Power Dissolve saved the day. I love that stuff.
Louise says
Anna - How was your Viking pan after scorching the muffins? The metallurgist in this house would have been having a fit.
Erika says
This is wonderful to see Anna! I've been wanting to try my hand at English Muffins for some time, but like you, I don't keep powdered milk around and I don't have rings either. The thought of using tuna cans is terribly unappealing to me.
I do have a griddle though, so now I'm going to have to give these a whirl. Thanks for making and posting!
Caroline says
Glad to see you have had success with this recipe. This is on my 'to make' list but I haven't gotten around to it (intimidation, maybe??) So excited to give these a try now!
Addicted Baker says
How do you keep coming up with amazing ideas? Well however you do I just want you to know that I love your blog and I gave you the lovely blog award: http://theaddictedbaker.blogspot.com/2011/03/and-award-goes-to.html
Cookie Sleuth says
Thanks for doing all the research for us!
Louise says
@Melissa - There are two types of English Muffin recipes. One yields a soft scoopable batter, like this one. The other type, like the one you use, is either patted out or rolled and cut.
Melissa says
I love making English muffins, but I've never tried this recipe before. Time to add it to my list! I always use a wide glass to cut my muffins in a circle--it works for me!
Louise says
I want to make sourdough muffins soon, but I'm making bagels later this week. So little time, so much baking. 🙂 Normally when you use milk, instead of nonfat dry milk, in bread recipes the milk is scalded because of some yeast inhibiting property of milk which weakens the gluten structure, etc. (can't remember the details), but maybe that's not an issue for muffins.
Adam says
The timing of this couldn't be better :). I was preparing an english muffin on Saturday morning and as I was spreading jam on it I thought to myself "hmmm, I should try and make some of these". Kismet I tell you 🙂 Thanks! 🙂
Anna says
Dawn, it's cornmeal. This recipe didn't call for any, though.
Sue, these were tall and lighter than the muffins I buy. I'm going to have to find Peter Reinhart's book.
Gretchen, thanks for the link! Making them in the oven would be more convenient.
Anna and Rufus, I am so glad I didn't go to the trouble of buying tuna just to use it and have the cans. The Release foil rings really did work perfectly. I'm sure sturdy metal rings come in hand for other desserts, but in this case the foil did the trick.
Gloria, I should have included a picture of a toasted muffins with a pat of butter. Maybe I'll add one ;).
Barbara, I appreciate Alton Brown for his great recipes and for the fact he encourages resourcefullness. He lets you know what's important and where you can improvis without causing problems. His biscuit recipe is also really good even though it doesn't have the usual amount of butter.
vanillasugarblog says
what are those lil hard crumbs that go on the english muffins before baking? cornmeal right? i love those.
never made these. i would love to someday, maybe a savory version.
Sue says
These look good! When I've made English Muffins I used the recipe from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Everyday. They were excellent, although maybe not quite as tall as yours.
Gretchen says
Alton has made English muffins on two episodes of "Good Eats". The one you made was from the first episode he did, but more recently he devoted a show to Eggs Benedict and revamped his English muffin recipe. This time he makes them in the oven instead of on a griddle. Here's the recipe link on the Food Network website:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggs-benedict-recipe/index.html
I haven't tried it yet, but Alton's recipes are normally pretty good.
Greg says
We've all had experiences like that. I've never used cut out tuna cans for dough, and now I won't.
Yet another Anna says
Perfect timing, I've been meaning to make another batch of English muffins, but keep making sweet rolls instead. 🙂
I've made Alton's recipe, on a griddle, w/ powdered milk, and I agree, it's just fine, very tasty.
I'm going to try some other recipe this next time, though, mostly because I've had the recipes in my file for so long.
I've done the 'cut out tuna cans' thing, and found that the muffins just get stuck in them because the edges aren't smooth enough. I bought some of the rings from cooking.com, and have gotten a lot of use out of them. (they work well to help a fried egg hold a round shape while cooking, as a cookie cutter, etc.)
Gloria says
They look good to me...I like a little color and crisp to my english muffins...store bought can be so boring!
Barbara says
I'm going to try these....Alton comes up with some great basic recipes! It's all trial and error in the kitchen, isn't it?