English muffins        Active time 20 minutes    1.5 hours total

Wet

• 16 ounces, 100 degree milk or water
• 2 ounces melted butter
• 1.5 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp White or cider vinegar

Dry 

• 21 ounces whole wheat flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• Semolina or wheat flour for sprinkling the griddle or pan

Directions

• Warm your water/milk to 100 degrees adding the butter and honey to melt. Add vinegar.
• Mix the dry ingredients together then adding the wet and mix to combine thoroughly.
• At this point you can put the dough in your fridge and continue the next day any time or you can continue and rise the dough on your counter.
• Either way set a 20 minutes timer and fold/stir the dough then.
• If your making the muffins now set another 20 minute time and allow to double in volume. About 20 minutes.

• Once doubled in volume dust with flour and use a ¼ cup measure to scoop out your dough balls. This dough is on the wet side so use plenty of flour in handling and shaping the dough being careful not to fold raw flour into the dough but keeping it on the outside instead.
• If you want perfect round muffins you’ll need to shape them into balls and then rest for 10 minutes followed by stretching them into round discs about 4 inches in diameter. I shaped them right away into roundish discs giving them a more homemade / irregular shape.

• Place on a sheet pan well dusted with cornmeal or wheat flour and allow to rise for 10-20 minutes for them to rise one last time. You don’t want to over rise them at this point since they might collapse when moving and flipping them so make sure to keep an eye on them. They should not double in volume at this point but rise about 30-50 percent in volume. Cover with plastic sheet.
• Preheat pan/griddle to medium heat with a small amount of butter or oil and gently place risen muffins onto the griddle (using a spatula)cooking for 8-12 minutes per side until nicely browned and the center of the muffin registers 200 degrees on the inside.

• Allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and then pry apart with a fork for the classic nooks and crannies. If you ever want bigger nooks and crannies, work toward a moister dough and allow to proof a little more just before griddling.

These are pretty easy to make and are a huge hit with my kids, especially when Patti’s Preserves come out. They are essentially griddle baked buns. Perfect for eggs benedict, butter and jam, bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, or little personal pizzas when topped with tomato sauce, herbs, and cheese and then baked.

When you flip them be as gentle as possible so they don’t deflate a lot. A spatula to flip in one hand and a spoon in the other hand to ease the bun down is a good approach.

The smell of the butter toasting with the corn and wheat together is a tantalizing aroma. Any pan can work but a big griddle makes quick work of it. You can also set 2 or 3 pans going at once to increase your cooktop space.

You can make a big batch and they are perfect  to keep in the freezer to toast up as needed. Fully cool on a wire rack and put in a freezer bag.

If they last that long…haha…no seriously they probably won’t.

This is actually is the best way to enjoy Patti’s amazing jams and preserves. 

Share with those you love!

Happy Spring everyone!!