English Muffins

English Muffins is as the name perfectly applies, a type of muffin which has it origin in England. The United Kingdom is located close to the Nordic countries and is only a two hour-flight away. Even though, we have a different approach to food and how it is prepared we absolutely also share a couple of traditional dishes. I personally think that these English Muffins is actually pretty close to the Danish Krydrebolle, which is an airy bun eaten in a similar way as a English Muffins.

English Muffins
I the United Kingdom, English Muffins are typically served in the morning as breakfast. They are traditionally sliced in the middle, toasted and buttered. Some people also like to eat their muffins with a slice of cheese and jam on top. Sometimes, these are also just served with a little jam. As you might imagine, it is basically only you imagination that is the limit here.

Sliced Muffins?
As mentioned above, a English Muffin is typically sliced horizontally and then toasted. I would like to make a small comment about this. Slicing a English Muffin is, of course, done the easiest using a regular bread knife. However, I have learned this trick using a fork to divide the muffins in half. You simple stab holes all the way around the muffin on the same line as you would normally cut using a knife. When you are done stabbing holes, you can then gently separate the top and the bottom of the muffin. Using this technique you get a more coarse surface instead of a perfectly flat when using a knife. When toasted, this coarse surface become crisper compared to the knife-cut surface.

Keep in the Freezer
I normally make a large batch of these English Muffins and then store them in my freezer. This way I always have muffins ready when I make breakfast in the weekend. As said above, these muffins are typically served with cold butter and jam. However, my favorite way of serving these muffins is with a fried egg, two slices of crisp bacon and a slice of cheddar cheese - now this muffin is maybe better known as an Egg McMuffin. I have made a separate recipe-post here on my blog about these.

English Muffins

14 muffins
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Danish title: Engelske muffins
Category: bread

Ingredients:
2.5 dl (1 cup) milk
50 g (2 oz) butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp suger
500 g (1.1 lb) all-purpose flour
25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast (or 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast)
a little cornmeal (coarse)

Instructions:
1. Heat up the milk and butter in a saucepan or microwave oven. The butter should be melted and the milk lukewarm.
2. Transfer the lukewarm milk and butter to a large bowl and dissolve the fresh yeast. If you are using dry yeast, add this together with the flour.
3. Add the egg, sugar, all-purpose flour and salt. Knead the ingredients well together. You can with advantage use a stand mixer.
4. Set the dough aside to rise for about one hour.
5. Cover your tabletop with some coarse cornmeal and roll the dough into a long 'sausage'.
6. Cut the sausage into 14 circular muffins.
7. Sprinkle the muffins with some cornmeal. Gently give the muffins a press with your fingers to make the cornmeal stick better to them.
8. Let the muffins rinse for another 30 minutes.
9. On a hot and dry frying pan; bake the muffins for about 5-7 minutes or until they are nice and golden.

Tip: Divide the muffins by pricking holes, using a fork, all the way the circumference. Then simple break the muffin apart with your fingers.