English Muffins-- Complete with Nooks and Crannies

Doesn't everyone have fond memories of Thomas' English Muffins, purchased from the grocery store in packages of 6? They were chewy and brown on the outside. Best of all, they had those delightful nooks and crannies that soaked up more butter than you would ever think imaginable.

I've tried making english muffins in the past but I was never happy with the recipe. They were always too much like pan fried dinner rolls. This recipe (taken from Alton Brown) is a lot more like yeasted pancakes made into rings, but the use of powdered milk and salt gives it a greater depth of flavor (I used powdered buttermilk). I will, for sure, make this recipe again.

As always, this post has been submitted to Yeastspotting.

English Muffins

Ingredients

• ½ cup powdered milk
• 1 T sugar
• 1 t salt
• 1 T shortening
• 1 cup hot water
• ⅛ t sugar
• ⅓ cup warm water
• 2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 pack of yeast

Directions

1. Combine milk, 1 T sugar, ½ t salt, shortening and hot water until dissolved. Cool to room temperature
2. Combine yeast, warm water and sugar in separate bowl until dissolved.
3. Add yeast to milk mixture. Add flour and beat with a spoon. Allow mix to rest 45 minutes before adding the remaining ½ t salt
4. Preheat a skillet and spoon into 3 inch rings (canning lids, or a tuna can with top and bottom cut out). Cook 5 minutes on each side, making sure to cover the top of the can with a weight to keep the muffin from expanding too much.
5. Split with fork to keep all the nooks and crannies.