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Monday, June 10, 2013

Bread Machine English Muffins

     Each month, I look forward to the email that contains my assignment for the Secret Recipe Club. This month was no different. Although, maybe a little bittersweet. This will be my last month to participate in the club. I really like it. I love being introduced to new blogs and finding new recipes to try. The problem is that I don't have the time to blog much anymore...so instead of being a fun hobby of mine, sometimes the posts become another thing to do on a really long to-do list. Maybe, at some other point in my life, I will be able to join up again, but for now this good thing must come to an end.
     A few weeks ago, I had twenty dollars in my pocket...oh wait...I went to the thrift store and found a bread machine! I've been wanting one for a while, but they are so expensive. I'll admit, I was a little afraid to buy on at the thrift shop, but this one looked like it had never been used and it had the manual inside. Naturally, when I got my secret assignment, Danielle's blog Mostly Food and Crafts, I knew I would make one of the many bread machine recipes found on her site. Now, don't get me wrong. I find making bread, from scratch by hand a little therapeutic...but remember, I don't have as much time on my hands these days. The bread machine is the perfect solution for me...And, this English Muffin recipe was a great recipe to start with. I love English Muffins. I love homemade bread. Seriously, it's a win-win.
     I've never tried making homemade English Muffins before. I've always been curious, but have never actually done it until now. Basically, you let the bread machine take care of the kneading and rising by setting it up for the dough cycle. Then, when the dough is ready you roll it out, cut it in circles and let it rise once more before cooking them up. It was a little time consuming since you have to roll and cut the muffins out, but they are worth it. While there weren't the regular nooks and crannies in these homemade muffins, the flavor was there, and it turned out to be a great breakfast paired with our usual yogurt parfait.
     I pretty much followed the recipe except changing the flour to whole wheat flour. When you do this in a yeast bread, you also have to add wheat gluten to aid in the rising.


Bread Machine English Muffins

by Robin
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 7-10 minutes
Ingredients (8-10 muffins)
1 cup of milk
3 tablespoons of butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of sugar
2-1/2 cups + 2 Tbl white whole wheat flour
2 Tbl wheat gluten (to aid in rising when using whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast
cornmeal

Instructions
  • Combine all ingredients, except cornmeal, in your bread machine according to manufacturers suggestions. Turn the machine on the dough cycle.
  • After this cycle is complete, sprinkle cornmeal on a cutting board and place the dough on the cornmeal. Sprinkle the top side with cornmeal as well and flatten the dough out to a 1 inch thick rectangle
  • Cut your dough into rounds (8-10) using a cup or biscuit cutter.
  • Place these rounds on a cookie sheet and let rise for 20 minutes.
  • Heat griddle to 350*.
  • Place those rounds on the griddle and cook for about 7 minutes a side and then flip (they will begin to rise, if you feel they are too puffy you can flatten a bit with a spatula.)
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