Sorry the link I posted to retrieve the "best in the world" English Muffin
recipe didn't work for most of you.
I'll post it in-line here. This was posted by the author on alt.bread.recipes.
To reiterate, this is about a 9-hour process but is well worth it for great
flavor and chew.
Rick Krall
Authentic English Muffins
Recipe By : Alan Zelt
Serving Size : 14 Preparation Time : 9:00
Categories : Bread
Four hour starter:
2 cup warm water
2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
or regular whole wheat
3/4 tsp instant yeast
Sponge:
2 cup overnight starter - room temperature
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp yeast
3/4 cup scalded milk -- cooled
2 cup unbleached bread flour
Muffin dough:
sponge mixture
4 cup unbleached bread flour -- (approx.)
4 tbsp honey
2 1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp dry buttermilk powder (Saco - optional)
2 tbsp corn flour or cornmeal
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Overnight starter:
In a medium bowl, stir together water and yeast. Let stand a couple of
minutes to dissolve yeast. Stir in all purpose flour and whole wheat to
make a thick batter. Cover and let stand 4 hours.
Sponge:
In a mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups of starter, warm water and dry yeast
and allow yeast to dissolve for a couple of minutes. Stir in milk and bread
flour to make a thick batter. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 1 hour.
Dough:
Stir down batter and add the remaining starter, flour, honey, salt,
buttermilk powder (optional) corn flour and cinnamon. Knead to make a
soft batter (about 5 minutes).
Preheat oven to 350 F; middle shelf.
Cover and let rise until almost doubled in bulk. Gently deflate dough. On a
work surface sprinkled with cornmeal, roll or pat out to a three quarter
inch thickness. Cut into 3 1/2 inch rounds using a cookie cutter. Place on
a baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost
doubled (about 45 minutes).
Set electric griddle to 325 F, or heat a cast iron pan (medium heat).
Sprinkle cooking surface with cornmeal. Gently arrange muffins to fit. Bake
until bottoms are browned, about 5-8 minutes. Turn over and do remaining
side, reducing heat if muffins are browning too quickly.
Finish muffins in oven 5-8 minutes, or until internal temp = 195-200 F.
Cool well and split with the tines of a fork.
For more 'holey' muffins, the dough must almost be a batter. Muffin rings
can be purchased in a kitchen supply store - or, you may use large tuna
cans (tops and bottoms removed). The rings support the loose batter and
allow the muffins to retain their shape as they rise and bake.
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NOTES : This recipe makes for impressive, crusty, cornmeal-coated English
muffins. The interiors are at once moist and holey, characteristically
rough textured and hearty. A combination of unbleached bread flour
(available at bulk food stores) together with some white whole wheat flour
(or regular whole wheat). A smack of butter and honey round out the taste.
Don't overlook these because they use a starter. It's child's play. Sure,
there are easier ways to make English muffins but they taste like you took
the easy way out. These are exceptional. A large cast iron pan makes for a
perfect baking surface.
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