Homemade English Muffins

 

 
I’ve never been a morning person. While my sister managed to go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up at the crack of dawn, every morning presented itself to me with a struggle. I needed at least three wake-up calls before reluctantly rubbing the sand from my eyes and scurrying to make it out the door on time. Thank goodness for my mom. Not only was she diligent in the wake-up process, she always left a little breakfast on the chest in the hall for me to grab as we left. My trusty stand-by, which still happens to be a favorite, was a toasted English muffin with butter and peanut butter.
 
English muffins make me happy, perhaps for that sentimental reason, but I never considered making them from scratch until seeing Clotilde’s post a few years ago. To my surprise I learned that they were cooked in a hot skillet like pancakes, which shouldn't have been all that surprising considering their two flat sides.

But I didn’t have any crumpet rings so the idea got shelved. It wasn’t until I bought my beloved copy of Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day that my enthusiasm was reignited. I promptly went to Sur La Table and got myself a set of these (and only 5 bucks to boot). 
 

The origins of the English muffin are a bit nebulous but they may have taken root in 10th century Wales where small, round yeast leavened cakes were baked on hot stones. The type of English muffin we know and love today became very popular during the Victorian era. The light, crusty muffins made out of dough scraps (and according to some accounts, leftover potatoes) were originally eaten in the servants’ quarters but once the ladies of the house got a taste, they quickly became fancied by everyone. And after tasting this homemade batch, I can see why.

Now I have to warn you, these aren’t the type of muffins that can be whipped up 30 minutes before breakfast (although the crumpet ring box provides such a recipe). You’ll need to plan this one out.

The dough itself is simple and straightforward but, like most of Mr. Reinhart’s recipes, requires an overnight fermentation in the refrigerator. The next morning, a baking soda slurry gets folded in (essential for that bubbly texture) before the little blobs of dough get cooked inside cornmeal-crusted rings. The result? English muffins like no other. 

 
The interiors are a thing of beauty - moist, yeasty and tender (all words that I generally despise using) - and the dusting of cornmeal gives the outsides that characteristic crisp texture. But I think we can all agree that the best parts of an English muffin are the many nooks and crannies. To take full advantage, be sure to fork split them instead of slicing. And if you’re going to pop them into the freezer, remember to split them ahead of time (a good rule of thumb for bagels, too).

Thomas’ English muffins? Puh-leez. And you’re welcome.

 

Homemade English Muffins 
Don't let the lack of crumpet rings stop you from making these; you can also use the rims of quart-size canning jars. Recipe from Artisan Breads Every Day.

2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (about 95˚F)
2 2/3 cups unbleached bread flour
3/4 teaspoon salt or 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast (or 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast, proofed)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons warm water
Cornmeal for dusting

In a small bowl add the honey to the oil and milk; stir to dissolve. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt and yeast together, then pour in the milk mixture. Whisk for a minute, scrape down the bowl and whisk for a few more seconds (you should see gluten strands forming). Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days. The batter will bubble and rise as it cools down.

On baking day, remove the batter from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking. The dough will be stiff and sticky and will bubble as it comes to room temperature.

Right before baking, dissolve the baking soda in the warm water and gently fold it into the dough, just like folding egg whites into cake batter, until it is fully absorbed. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes or until it starts bubbling again. Heat a flat griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat (or 300˚F if using an electric skillet).

Mist the griddle and insides of the crumpet rings with spray oil, then dust the insides of the rings with cornmeal. Cover the surface of the pan with as many rings as it will hold, then dust the pan inside the rings with more cornmeal. Lower the heat to medium-low (actually, a bit closer to low than medium - you'll have to use trial-and-error to find the perfect temperature. I experimented with one English muffin first).

To bake, mist a 1/3-cup measuring cup with spray oil, fill it with dough and pour the dough into the ring. Fill all the rings and then sprinkle cornmeal over each muffin. The dough will not spread immediately but will slowly rise and bubble. Cook the muffins for at least 12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden and crisp and the tops lose their wet look. Flip the muffins over, rings and all, and cook for 12 minutes more. If it takes less than 12 minutes per side, your griddle setting is probably too high and you'll end up with undercooked muffins.   

When both sides are golden brown and the dough is springy to the touch, remove the muffins from the pan. Cool them in their rings for 2 minutes, then pop them out. Turn the muffins on their edge to cool; this will help prevent sinking and shrinking. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. After they cool, split them with a fork to accentuate the interior nooks.
 

Classic French Baguette Épi

Thanksgiving 2010 was a success, particularly if measured in terms of overeating and unbuttoned pants. As you know, my contribution this year was a fancy artisan épi (a baguette formed to resemble a stalk of wheat), thanks to Peter Reinhart's newest cookbook Artisan Breads Every Day. So much energy is put into the turkey, stuffing and pies that the simplest form of comfort food, good bread and butter, often gets overlooked. Talley changed everything a couple of years ago by making Jim Lahey's celebrated No-Knead Bread so I took it upon myself to continue the baking tradition.

If you're already thinking that a baguette seems too complicated, let me assure you that there are no fancy gadgets or special equipment involved. If you have a mixing bowl, two hands and a regular old baking sheet, you're set.

The dough itself is very straightforward: flour, salt, yeast and water. But the trick is to begin at least one day in advance so that the flavors can develop during a slow overnight fermentation in the refrigerator.

While I was incredibly pleased with the results, I did learn a couple of things the hard way.

1. When creating the necessary oven steam, do not pour cold water into a searing hot Pyrex dish. It will explode.
 
2. To cut the épi shape, make each cut in the same fashion down the length of the loaf. The only thing that changes are the alternating directions of the "rolls" (the aesthetics of one of my loaves was sacrificed in order to learn this lesson - but it was still delicious).

This classic recipe (which starts on page 49) produces one of the finest baguettes available, and with minimal effort, which means that you don't need the excuse of a holiday to enjoy it.

Everything Bagels with Vegetable Cream Cheese

I’m from New York and enjoy a good bagel. There are a few decent ones here in Seattle but none that get me excited. For some reason they haven’t found a way to replicate that chew. So instead of complaining, I decided to try making my own. 

I’m the first to admit that baking isn’t my forte but I like a culinary challenge as much as the next guy. After some researching, it appeared that the bagel recipe in Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice is considered the gold standard. It involves making a sponge, an overnight retardation, and then a classic boil and bake preparation. This was definitely a weekend project and, finally last Saturday, the rubber hit the road. 

The recipe calls for instant yeast, which, apparently, is so small that the granules can be mixed directly in with the flour. I only had active dry in the pantry so a simple conversion of instant yeast amount x 1.5 worked well, as long as the active dry yeast gets proofed in warm water before adding the flour. Also, I didn’t have any malt powder or syrup but a tablespoon of brown sugar seemed to do the trick.

In the same way that I like my pasta doused with sauce, I like my bagels doused with everything -- onion, garlic, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and salt –- and as you can tell from the photos, I didn’t hold back. Feel free to be a bit more conservative with the toppings or leave them out altogether. You could also mix cinnamon and raisins into the dough. 

All in all, I’d deem this little experiment a major hit. We ate the first round straight from the oven slathered with homemade vegetable cream cheese (recipe follows), smoked salmon, red onions and capers. Round two, which served as today’s breakfast, was toasted with butter. I’m pretty sure I got a few covetous looks from my coworkers.

Everything Bagels
Bread flour works best here due to its high protein content. If you don’t have any, simply add 1 teaspoon of vital wheat gluten to each cup of all purpose flour. These are perfect for a weekend project – start them the night before and bake them in the morning. Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. 
Makes 1 dozen

Sponge:
1 teaspoon instant yeast (or 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast)
4 cups bread flour
2 1/2 cups water
Dough: 
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast (or ¾ teaspoon active dry yeast)
3 3/4 cups bread flour
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons malt powder
OR
1 tablespoon malt syrup, honey or brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking soda for the water

Topping:
3 tablespoons dehydrated garlic flakes
3 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1-2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt, or to taste

The Night Before:
In a large mixing bowl, stir the instant yeast into the flour. Add the water and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to bubble and rise for 2 hours. (If you are using active dry yeast, simply sprinkle it over 1/4 cup lukewarm water with a good pinch of sugar. If the yeast is alive, it will begin foaming after about 10 minutes. At this point, add the remaining water and the flour and continue with the recipe). 
 
Remove the plastic wrap and stir in the additional yeast. (This time, if using active dry yeast, simply hydrate it in a touch of warm water before adding). Add 3 cups of the flour, salt and malt powder; mix until all the ingredients come together and form a solid mass. At this point you will need to add the remaining 3/4 cup flour, either by mixing in the bowl or by kneading. The dough will be quite stiff.
 
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 full minutes. It should be smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces, about 4 ½ ounces each. Roll each piece into a ball and set aside. When all 12 pieces have been rolled, cover them with a damp towel and allow them to rest for 20 minutes.
 
To shape the bagels, poke your thumb through the center of each ball of dough and rotate (or twirl, in my case) to expand the hole slightly, being sure to keep an even width all the way around. Place the shaped bagels onto two oiled (or parchment-lined and lightly sprayed with oil) sheet pans, leaving a bit of space between them. Cover with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 20 minutes. Note: I used a paper towel dipped in oil to lightly brush the tops of the bagels to prevent them from sticking to the plastic wrap.
 
Peter Reinhart’s method for determining whether the bagels are ready to retard is as follows: drop one of the bagels into a bowl of cold water. If it floats to the surface in under 10 seconds, it is ready to retard. If not, allow it to rise a bit longer. I actually skipped this step and simply allowed them to rise for 30 minutes instead. Cover the bagels with plastic wrap and place them into the refrigerator to retard overnight.
 
In the Morning:
Preheat oven to 500°F. Put a large pot full of water on the stove to boil. In the meantime, mix the topping ingredients and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, add one tablespoon of baking soda - this supposedly replicates that authentic bagel shop flavor. Drop a few bagels into the boiling water (I could only fit 3 at a time) and allow them to boil for 1 or 2 minutes. Using a large slotted spoon, carefully flip them over and allow them to boil on the other side for another minute or two. Remove and place them back onto the oiled sheet pan (or 2 that are freshly lined with parchment paper and a light coating of oil). Immediately, while bagels are still hot and wet, sprinkle them with the topping mixture, flip over and sprinkle topping on the other side. 

When all bagels have been boiled and topped, transfer them to the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 450˚F, rotate the pans and bake for another 5 minutes or until bagels are golden brown (mine took another 8-10 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool.

Vegetable Cream Cheese
Pretty much anything goes here. Try it with chives or dill.
 
16 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced
3 green onions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
2-3 radishes, finely diced
1 1/2 ribs celery, finely diced
Salt to taste
Pinch of finely ground black pepper 
3/4 teaspoon celery seeds, optional 
1/2 teaspoon onion powder, optional

Place the cream cheese, carrot, green onion, radish, celery and seasonings in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until blended.