The thing about making usually store-bought things homemade is that you have a standard to adhere to. So, for example, if you were to, say, make English muffins at home, people may start searching for those nooks and crannies.
It’s all about managing expectations, people. No, these did not have the same kinds of holes and wobbles to smear a pad of butter on. But were they fluffy and delicious?! Yes. Did they look like an English Muffin?! Yes! Were you able to split them with a fork?! If you tried really hard, yes, but, I mean, use a knife. Do you really need anything else? Well, nooks and crannies would have been nice.
But I’m focusing on the positive! Split these open, melt some cheese on both sides and stick an egg in the middle – no one will turn you away.
English Muffins (recipe from A Beautiful Mess)
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1/2 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup milk, room temperature
Combine the yeast with the warm water, and let sit for 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy.
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in butter, and then the milk and yeast mixture. Stir until a dough ball forms. Knead until the dough is shiny and elastic: if using a stand mixer and dough hook to knead the dough, this will take about 6 minutes; by hand it will probably take 8-10 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, set in a warm place, and allow to rise until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust it with flour. Dump the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for an additional hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a cast iron skillet (or other oven safe pan), or just a regular non stick pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil or butter and spread it around to make sure that the muffins don’t stick. In batches if pan is small, or all at one time, stick the muffins on the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the muffins are golden brown on both sides.
Either stick the pan in the oven (or transfer back to the baking sheet), and bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Cool on a wire rack
Social Kitchen 
February 3, 2015 at 11:13 am
[…] it seems like a perfectly delicious winter breakfast). And then I go back to tea and and an English muffin (maybe with a digestive biscuit or two on the side), because that seems easy and I feel like that […]