Ingredients
Method
- Mix wet: Whisk warm milk, honey (or sugar), melted butter (or oil), egg, and sourdough discard until smooth.
- Add flour: Add fresh-milled flour and vital wheat gluten. Mix until no dry bits remain.
- Rest: Cover and rest 15 minutes to hydrate the flour.
- Add leavening + salt: Add salt, instant yeast, and baking powder (if using). Mix until evenly incorporated.
- Knead: Knead 5–8 minutes until smoother and stretchy; dough will be tacky but should hold shape.
- Bulk rise: Cover and let rise 60–90 minutes, until puffy and about 60–80% larger.
- Divide + shape: Divide dough into 12 equal pieces (about 78g each). Shape into balls, then flatten to about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
- Proof: Cover and proof 30–60 minutes until pillow-y and the dough springs back slowly when pressed.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place muffins on a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or semolina.
- Bake 10 minutes, rotate pan, then bake 6–10 minutes more until lightly golden and 200–205°F internal. For extra “over-baked” sturdiness, bake 2–4 minutes longer.
- Cool + split: Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes, then fork-split for the best nooks and crannies.
Notes
I love the oven-baked version of English Muffins because it helps save a ton of time without sacrificing much texture and/or flavor.