Sourdough English Muffins

Always on the lookout for ways to use sourdough, I found this recipe online last year. Since then we have enjoyed fresh English muffins often. They don't taste like bought English muffins, maybe because of the sourdough or maybe the whole wheat flour, but we love them and English muffins may become a new weekly tradition.



The muffin dough is partially mixed up the night before. In the morning, I add a few more ingredients and allow the dough to rest.



English muffins are baked on a skillet on top of the stove, which gives them their distinctive flat top.

 


Often I split the muffins,spread with butter, and toast the muffins under the oven broiler. I scramble a few eggs while the muffins toast.



Homemade egg muffin sandwich! Thoughts of a breakfast this good can lure even me out of bed!

 

Sourdough English Muffins
Makes 8-12 muffins - depending upon the size

1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 cup milk
2 cups whole wheat flour (or white if you prefer)
1 T honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

In the evening, mix the sourdough starter, milk and flour together. Stir well. Cover loosely and sit overnight.

In the morning the mixture should be bubbly. Add the honey, salt and baking soda and stir well. The mixture will be rather thick, like a sticky dough. You will be almost kneading the mixture. If you wish, you can dump the mixture on the counter and knead with your hands. I like to stir in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Mix or knead until the new ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

At this point, you have several options. You can pat the dough out on the counter and cut with a biscuit cutter. You may need to add more flour if the dough is too sticky. You can also shape the dough into round flat muffins with your hands. Place the muffins you cut or shaped onto a cornmeal sprinkled counter and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

I need to keep things really simple or I won't make them often. I found that I can allow the dough to rest in a bowl for a half hour. I then use a spoon and drop the muffin dough directly onto a pre-heated, ungreased, cornmeal-sprinkled skillet. The muffins are not perfectly round, but we don't care.

Cover the pan with a lid and bake at medium low heat. Don't heat too high or the bottoms will be done before the middle. Flip the muffins to bake on the other side.



Enjoy fresh hot English muffins!