How to Make English Muffins

How to Make English Muffins

Just as if you're making bread by hand, start by warming the water and milk until hand-hot. You can do this in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove.

When the liquid is warm, add the sugar and yeast and mix in well. Then leave it to stand until frothy - this will take about 10-15 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Meanwhile, sift the flour and salt into a bowl.

Make a well in the centre and when the yeast is ready, mix the liquid into the flour. Using a spoon and later your hands, mix the ingredients to a soft dough. It's the right consistency if it leaves the bowl clean.

Add a little flour if the mix is too sticky, or a little more water if it seems dry.

Now turn out the dough onto a flat work surface and knead it for 10 minutes. Give it some elbow-grease and it will turn out beautifully smooth and elastic.

Place the kneaded dough back into the bowl and put the bowl into a warm place, covered with a damp dishcloth. Leave it to rise until doubled in size. 30-45 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it out to the thickness of a finger - about 1 cm or so. Use a large cookie cutter or English Muffin Rings to shape the dough into rounds.

You should get about 12 muffins.

Place them onto a lightly floured baking sheet and leave to rise again in a warm place for 25-30 minutes.

Now it's time to cook - not bake - your muffins.

Heat a thick-bottomed, heavy frying pan or griddle over a medium heat. Add a little lard - butter won't work here, because it will burn before you're finished cooking the muffins.

Put in some muffins - as they are or in a ring if you like that better - and turn the heat down low. Cook them until nice and golden. The muffins will take about 6-8 minutes on each side.

Keep them warm while you cook the rest and then enjoy with plenty of fridge-cold butter and a pot of tea!