Homemade English Muffins

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp instant (quick-rise) yeast, or 1¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp oil or melted butter
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus up to ¼ cup more
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 to 3 Tbsp cornmeal for dusting

Method

1. Pour the warm water into a bowl, sprinkle the sugar and yeast over the top and let it sit about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Add the oil, salt and flour and mix. Knead about 5 minutes, adding a little extra flour only if needed, until the dough is soft and just a bit tacky.
3. Cover in an oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Divide into 10 pieces, roll into balls and flatten to about ¾ inch thick on a parchment-lined pan dusted with cornmeal. Dust the tops too, cover loosely and let them rise 20 minutes.
5. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low and oil it lightly. Cook the muffins covered about 7 minutes a side, until golden. Do them in two batches if they don’t all fit.
6. If they brown before the middle is done, finish them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. They’re done at 200°F inside.
7. Cool on a rack 10 to 15 minutes, then split them with a fork, not a knife, for the best nooks and crannies.

Storage: Keep cooled muffins in a sealed bag for a few days. To freeze, split them first and freeze up to 3 months. Toast straight from frozen.