Muffin Recipe - English Muffins Recipe

English Muffins should not be mistaken for American Muffins. English muffins are a yeast-based dough as you can see in this English Muffin recipe. They are a delicious tea-time treat, toasted and served warm with butter or filled, they make a lovely sandwich.

They are easy to make and once cooked will keep for several days in an airtight tin.

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 fl oz/225ml milk
• 2 tsp dried yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1lb/450g all purpose/plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2oz/55g lard

Preparation:

• Put the milk and 2 fl/oz/55ml water into a saucepan and heat gently until just warm enough for you to dip your finger in comfortably. Put the warmed milk into a small basin or jug, add the sugar and the yeast, mix lightly and leave in a warm place for about 15 minutes and the mixture has a lightly bubbling top.
• Sift the flour into a roomy baking bowl, add the salt and stir. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the yeast and milk mixture in. Mix all the ingredients together until a soft, non-sticky dough is formed; if the dough feels dry a little add more water a drop at a time, too wet add a little more flour.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Put the dough back into the baking bowl, cover with a clean, dry tea towel and leave in a warm (not hot) place until the dough has doubled in size, this could take up to an hour, so be patient.
• Once risen, tip the dough back onto the floured surface and roll out to ½ inch/1cm thick. Cut into 3 inch/7.5cm rounds. The dough may start to puff up again but simply roll it back to ½ inch. Place the muffins on a greased baking sheet and leave to rise for 30 minutes, again in a warm, but not hot, place.
• Grease a heavy-based frying pan or griddle with a little lard, heat until hot but not burning. Add a few muffins, lower the heat and cook for 7 minutes on each side. Once cooked, put to one side, re-grease the pan or griddle and heat, then continue as above until you have used up all the dough.

Store them in an airtight tin.
Muffins are delicious warm, split the muffin open around the center and filled with lots of butter, yummy. If they begin to go a little dry simply toast them.