Sourdough English muffins

Since lockdown the world has certainly been going sourdough crazy and it is definitely a trend that came to stay. But what is sourdough? I am so glad you asked! In a nutshell, sourdough is a slow-fermented bread. It is unique because it does not require any commercial yeast in order to rise. Instead, it’s made with a live fermented culture (don’t worry it’s not REALLY ALIVE) a sourdough starter which acts as a natural leavening agent. I absolutely love English muffins; they are great for breakfast or brunch when I feel like treating myself. My other half is kind of a sourdough master and I don’t remember the last time we bought bread as he always makes sure we have some(I know he is a keeper!). I never liked how he had to discard some of his baby =starter in order to feed it so I knew I had to come to the rescue and create something with it. Let me tell you that creating this recipe was not an easy task. As I removed the amount of yeast and replaced it with starter I naturally added extra water=moisture to the mix and it became quite sticky. Eventually I found the perfect balance and it was so worth the effort. The sour taste lifted the muffins to the next level and now regular muffins seem well…boring! Why bin that extra sourdough starter when you can turn it into something so delicious?!

Ingredients for the sourdough English muffins

• Whole milk: Milk is a classic addition to most English muffin recipes and it is why they are so moist and fluffy.
• Olive oil: In case you haven’t noticed yet I am a bit of an olive oil addict, so I decided to swap the butter which is a classic addition to an English muffin with extra virgin olive oil.
• Bubbly and active sourdough starter: Let’s talk about your sourdough for a moment! As I mentioned earlier these English muffins are yeast free therefore the starter is what will make them rise and puff up. Make sure that your starter is as bubbly as possible. I normally feed it 3-4 hours before I start my muffins and it is normally good to go depending on the weather and the temperature of the room of course!
• Honey: I also swapped sugar with honey for this recipe as I love the flavour of honey much more.
• All purpose flour: Even if most types of bread are made with bread flour, English muffins are an exception as they are much lighter in texture. All purpose flour has medium gluten content which is ideal for fluffy and soft muffins.
• Salt: Salt is not only there for flavour but it also tenderises the dough and helps bring out the sour flavour even more.
• Cornmeal: The muffins are quite sticky so the cornmeal will prevent them from sticking to the tray while they are proving.

For the English muffins (makes 10-12 muffins/9 cm in diameter)

• 220g whole milk
• 120g water
• 60g olive oil
• 120g bubbly sourdough starter
• 20g honey
• 550g all purpose flour
• 12g salt
• Cornmeal for dusting

How to make the dough

1. In a saucepan, warm the milk, water and olive oil together over low heat. Cool slightly before adding to the dough.
2. Add the starter and honey to a large bowl. Slowly pour in the warm milk mixture, while whisking to combine.
3. Add the flour and salt in a mixing bowl of a standing mixer. With a hook attachment start the mixer on low until you incorporate the flour. At this stage you are not creating a smooth dough, you are simply mixing the dough until it just comes together.
4. Cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. Replenish your starter according to preference.
5. After the dough has rested work the mass into a semi smooth ball, about 30-60 seconds.

Let the dough rise

1. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 8-10 hours at 21°C.
2. Once fully risen, cover the dough with a lightly oil plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.

How to shape and cook

1. The next day, remove the cold dough from the fridge, onto a floured surface. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
2. Line a medium tray with parchment paper and sprinkle a generous amount of cornmeal all over it. This will prevent the muffins from sticking.
3. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin into a rough rectangle shape, about ½ inches (1.25cm) thick.
4. Cut rounds around 9cm in diameter; you should get 10-12 rounds. Place onto the prepared tray with cornmeal, making sure to leave a 3cm gap between the muffins as they will rise. Sprinkle more cornmeal on the top (*see Notes).
5. Cover the dough with a damp towel and rest till puffy, about 1 hour depending on how warm the kitchen is.

How to cook the muffins

1. Preheat the oven at 180°C.
2. Warm a large non-stick pan (you can also use a cast iron griddle) over low heat. Use a spatula to lift them instead of your hands as they can get sticky. Place a few rounds of muffins onto the pan. Don’t worry as they do not spread.
3. Cook on one side for about 1-2 minutes then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until they have a golden brown colour on both sides. Place on a clean tray and finish cooking in the oven for a further 5 minutes. When ready the muffins should feel lightweight and the sides should spring back when pressed gently (*see Notes).
4. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool. Continue the same process until all the muffins are cooked.
5. They will stay fresh for 2 days, stored in a zip-lock bag at room temperature but they also keep great in the freezer(*see Notes).
6. Enjoy 🙂

Notes

• It is very important to leave a gap between the muffins while they are rising. If not, they will rise, stick to each other and therefore lose their shape.
• Once you cook all the muffins you can freeze the ones you do not need right away. When you fancy one simply pull it out of the freezer, thaw and warm in the oven (definitely not in the microwave) and the crispy exterior and fluffy inside will come back to life.
• Ok a lot of people do not actually know how to enjoy a good English muffin so let me enlighten you! When ready to eat, split the muffin using a fork piercing into the sides all the way around and gently prying open. The reason is best done that way it’s because if you try to cut with the knife all the delicious holes will be pressed and close up. Oh and of course don’t forget a generous amount of butter (well mine is more than generous) on both sides after toasted.

Meringue kisses,
Athina xx