Sourdough English Muffins
from Donna Currie, https://www.seriouseats.com/

FMM: I made the "Sourdough English Muffin" recipe from https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/ and, although the bread was flavorful, the muffins did not have the traditional English Muffin holes. I made this recipe that uses a wet dough hoping it would work out better.

Instead of cooking the muffins after an hour rise, as directed in this recipe, I mixed the dough and put it in the refrigerator to rise overnight. The next day the batter was very light and bubbly. I took it out and set it on the counter for about an hour to warm up. I then cooked the muffins in a cast iron pan until browned; then baked them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. to finish baking the insides (should register 200ºF). For the first 4 muffins, I used a 1/3 cup measuring cup and thought these a little large, so I used a 1/4 cup measure for the final 3. The recipe says it should make 8 muffins; I got 7. I also removed the rings when I flipped them for the second batch, and I thought the shape was better. The first ones looked like they had been baked in cans in that the sides of the muffins went straight up, the seconds did not and got that bit of a bulge typical of English muffins. The texture of the crumb, though, was a little gummy, probably because they were made with sourdough. Next time I will try making yeast muffins using this same technique as they did get the holes in the crumb from the bubbles in the batter. See this recipe that uses yeast and follow Vespa Wolf's revised Alton Brown recipe: English Muffins

WHY IT WORKS (from Donna Currie)

• Bread flour contributes to an open crumb and those coveted nooks and crannies.
• Sourdough starter lends a pleasant tangy flavor to the English muffins.

There's something about the way butter melts into the nooks and crannies of English muffins, soaking between the crispy toasted bits into the soft interior. When you add leftover sourdough starter to the dough, English muffins get even better. That hint of tang is the perfect foil to sweet jelly, but still pairs well with cream cheese or peanut butter.

There are two basic methods for making English muffins. One is to make a dough, roll it out, cut it in rounds like you would for biscuits, and then bake it. The other is to prepare a batter-like dough that's cooked on a griddle like a pancake, which is what this recipe calls for (you can find our griddle recommendations here). To keep the batter from spreading, you'll need English muffin rings, round metal cookie cutters, or biscuit cutters. Or if you're the DIY type, you can always cut the top and bottom out of small round cans, like the type that water chestnuts come in.

To get the proper craggy surface, split the English muffins open with a fork rather than cut them before you toast them. Simply insert the fork into the side of the muffin, going all the way around the circumference until it splits open, and you'll have that perfect uneven interior.

Sourdough English Muffins Recipe

8 ounces bread flour (1 1/2 cups; 225g)
8 ounces (1 cup; 225g) warm water, between 110°F-115°F
4 ounces (1/2 cup; 115g) leftover sourdough starter (unfed/discard, see note)
1 ounce non-fat dry milk powder (1/4 cup; 30g)
1 ounce (2 tablespoons; 30g) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 ounce granulated sugar (1 tablespoon; 15g)
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
1 teaspoon instant yeast
Non-stick cooking spray, for greasing ring molds
Cornmeal, for sprinkling on griddle [not in original recipe but gives them their traditional dusting of cornmeal]

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, water, sourdough starter, milk powder, butter, sugar, salt, and yeast until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until batter has roughly doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

[I refrigerated the dough overnight.]

Heat griddle on medium heat (see note). Spray the inside of eight 3 1/2-inch English muffin rings or round ring molds with non-stick cooking spray and place on griddle. [Lightly grease the griddle so the muffins do not stick.]

[Sprinkle a little cornmeal on the bottom of the skillet before adding in the batter. This gives the english muffins their standard cornmeal top and bottom and keeps the muffins from sticking to the pan.]

Without stirring the batter, use a 1/3 measuring cup to evenly portion it into the rings. Cover rings with a baking sheet, reduce heat to low, and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. [Leave room for the muffins to puff up between the rings and the baking sheet if your rings are short.]

Remove baking sheet. Using tongs to hold rings in place, slide a spatula underneath muffins and flip over to cook other side. Cover again, and cook 5 minutes longer. [The muffins should have an intenal temperature of 200°F.]

Remove baking sheet. Using tongs, remove rings from muffins and set aside. Using a spatula, transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Split English muffins by hand or with a fork. If desired, toast before serving.

Makes: 8 Muffins

Note You can use unfed/discarded starter that has been kept at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator. If you don’t have an electric griddle, you can use a heavy-bottomed non-stick 10-inch skillet or a 10-inch cast iron pan. Using either option, you can make four muffins at a time.