Sourdough English Muffins

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •3-inch round biscuit cutter
• •Cast iron skillet or griddle
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Sheet pan

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl, combine the active starter with the lukewarm milk, stirring until the starter dissolves into cloudy ribbons. Add the melted butter and honey. Stir to combine. Add the flour and salt, mixing with a wooden spoon or dough whisk until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. This is correct. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

   Your starter is ready when it's doubled, domed on top, and passes the float test: a spoonful dropped in water should bob on the surface like a cork.
2. 2

   Perform stretch and folds

   Over the next two hours, perform three sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 to 45 minutes apart. Wet your hand, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it up until you feel resistance, then fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Four folds per session. After the final set, the dough should feel smoother and more cohesive, pulling away from the bowl sides when stretched. It will still be soft and slightly tacky.

3. 3

   Bulk ferment overnight

   Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. The cold slows fermentation, developing flavor while you sleep. When ready, the dough will have grown by about 50 percent and feel puffy and airy when you poke it. Small bubbles on the surface tell you the starter has been working.

4. 4

   Shape the muffins

   Generously flour your work surface and turn out the cold dough. The chill makes it manageable. Flour the top and gently press it into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Don't use a rolling pin. Your hands are gentler and preserve the gas bubbles that create nooks. Use a 3-inch round cutter dipped in flour to stamp out rounds. Press straight down without twisting, which seals the edges and inhibits rise. Gather scraps gently, let them rest 5 minutes, then cut again. You should get 12 muffins.

   A clean tuna can with both ends removed makes an excellent cutter if you don't own a biscuit cutter.
5. 5

   Proof on cornmeal

   Line a sheet pan with parchment and dust it liberally with cornmeal. Transfer the rounds to the pan, spacing them an inch apart. Dust the tops with more cornmeal and cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Let them proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until they look puffy and have grown by half. They should feel pillowy when poked but spring back slowly. Don't rush this step. Underproofed muffins cook up dense.

6. 6

   Heat the griddle

   Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over low heat for at least 5 minutes. This is crucial. The muffins need gentle, even heat to cook through without burning. Test by sprinkling a few drops of water on the surface. They should sizzle lazily and evaporate in about 5 seconds. If they skitter and vanish instantly, your heat is too high.

7. 7

   Cook the muffins

   Place 4 to 6 muffins on the dry griddle, leaving space between them. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, adjusting heat as needed to maintain gentle browning. The bottoms should turn deep golden brown while the sides begin to set. Flip carefully with a thin spatula. Cook the second side another 6 to 8 minutes. The muffins are done when they sound hollow when tapped and their internal temperature reaches 200°F. They will feel light for their size.

   If your muffins brown too quickly, slide a second sheet pan under the griddle to diffuse the heat.
8. 8

   Cool and split

   Transfer cooked muffins to a wire rack and let them cool for at least 15 minutes before splitting. Do not cut them with a knife. Use a fork to pierce around the circumference, then pull the halves apart gently. This tearing action creates the craggy interior that makes English muffins special. The irregular surface catches butter, jam, and egg yolk in all the right ways.

   Toast fork-split muffins cut-side up under a broiler for the crispiest results. The irregular surface chars beautifully at the peaks while staying soft in the valleys.

Chef Tips

• •A healthy starter is non-negotiable. If yours has been languishing in the refrigerator, feed it twice over 24 hours before making this recipe. You want vigorous activity, not a sluggish culture going through the motions.
• •The griddle temperature matters more than timing. Every stove runs differently. Stay nearby for the first batch and adjust as needed. You're looking for the color of a well-worn baseball glove, not burnt toast.
• •These freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, split them, then freeze in a single layer before bagging. Toast directly from frozen, adding a minute to your usual time.
• •If you don't have bread flour, all-purpose works but produces a slightly more tender crumb. Add a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to approximate bread flour's protein content.
• •For a more pronounced tang, extend the cold fermentation to 24 hours. The longer rest develops more acetic acid, giving you that assertive sourdough flavor some bakers prize.

Advance Preparation

• •Feed your starter 8 to 12 hours before mixing. It should be at peak activity: domed, bubbly, and passing the float test.
• •The shaped, uncooked muffins can be refrigerated overnight on their cornmeal-dusted pan, covered tightly. Let them warm at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
• •Cooked muffins keep at room temperature in a paper bag for 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 muffin (about 85g)