English Muffins

Ingredients

• Salt
• Butter
• Sugar
• Water
• Milk
• Flour
• Warm water
• Can
• Half
• Cornmeal

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir the yeast and half of the sugar into 1/2 cup warm water until dissolved. Set it aside for about 5 minutes, until a thick layer of foam builds on top. While the yeast gets going, combine the milk, butter, and remaining sugar in a microwave-safe bowl or a measuring cup. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir until the butter melts. If needed, heat for another 10 seconds. The milk should be warm, not scalding.
2. When the yeast is foamy, add the milk-butter mixture, 1 cup of the flour, and the salt to the bowl. Stir until the batter is mostly smooth. Work in the second cup of flour about 1/3 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Start adding the third cup of flour the same way, 1/3 cup at a time, stopping once the dough is too stiff to stir with a spoon. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, sprinkling on small amounts of flour as you go. By the end of kneading, you should have used 2.5-3 cups flour total.
3. Rest the dough for 15 minutes, then roll it out to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut rounds with a cookie cutter or a drinking glass with a sharp rim, placing the cuts close together so you have as few scraps as possible. Gather the remaining dough into a ball, flatten it again, and cut a few more rounds. Set the muffins on a baking sheet covered with a generous layer of cornmeal.
4. Leave the muffins in a warm, humid place for about 1.5 hours, until they are a little more than doubled in size. One way to create that environment is to place a casserole dish filled with steaming water on the bottom rack of the oven, then set the baking sheet on the top rack so the muffins stay moist during the rise.
5. When the muffins look big and fluffy, cook them in a skillet. Set a cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Once it is hot, carefully slide a spatula under 3-4 muffins and transfer them to the skillet, bringing along some cornmeal. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden. Gently turn the muffins and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes. They will puff more in the skillet. When both sides are golden and the muffins sound hollow when tapped, move them to a wire rack to cool.
6. After the muffins have cooled completely, split them with a fork and toast them in a toaster or in the oven. Or, place the cooled muffins in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.