Mix the English muffins

1. Heat the milk and butter or lard in a small sauce pan to 115°F. Remove from the heat.

2. While the milk and fat are heating, scale the flour, salt, instant yeast and honey into the bowl of a stand mixer.

3. Place the bowl on the mixer with the dough hook and turn on to speed 1. Add the egg yolk then the milk slowly, but steadily.

4. Mix the dough on speed 1 for 4 minutes then on medium/speed 4 for another 4 minutes.

5. The dough should be pretty supple and warm. Place the dough into a buttered metal bowl, turning the dough to coat it completely with butter, cover with plastic and allow to ferment 30 minutes.

6. After the first ferment, lift the dough out of the bowl. Hold the dough in mid-air and gently stretch the dough to twice its width and fold both ends back together by bringing the palms of your hands together. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat the stretching and folding process. Do this process 4 times and replace the dough to the bowl and ferment another 30 minutes.

7. Scale the dough into 65 gram (2.25 oz) portions. Round each as a roll, placing seam side down on a corn meal dusted baking paper or silicone baking sheet on a baking sheet pan.

8. Space the dough a few inches apart and push down to flatten the round and dust with corn meal. Place another baking paper sheet in top and a second sheet pan on the doughs. Press down firmly but not so much that dough squish flat. Leave the pan on the doughs while they proof.

   

9. When about doubled in width, heat the oven to 350°F. On a griddle or cast iron pan, cook the English muffin doughs with extra corn meal if there is a sticky spot. Cook till well browned, turn over and brown the other side.

   

10. Place the English muffins on a sheet pan and finish baking in the oven 16-20 minutes or until the inside temperature reads 180° F. Place pan on a cooling rack.

    Allow to cool before eating.