Sourdough English Muffins which also can be made as burger buns, and which don't
even have to be sourdough - what more could you ask?
Yield: 8-10 muffins/buns
>from: Ron Parker, inspired by a recipe from Catherine Devine, Ithaca, NY
In the evening, in an approximately 10-inch mixing bowl put:
1 C milk (room temp if posible)
1/2 C 1:1 flour:water sourdough starter
2 C flour (preferably bread flour to make a chewy muffin)
OR (not both!) if you don't have or like sourdough breads,
1 C cold milk
1/4 C hot water from tap
1 Tbs dry yeast
2 C flour (preferably bread flour to make a chewy muffin)
Mix with a fork, cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight in a warm place.
Next morning sprinkle over the bubbly mass:
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
Then slowly mix in up to a cup of flour. Start with a third to a half cup,
and mix in the bowl until the dough is free from the bowl and has lost much
of its stickiness. Then knead in more flour on a floured surface, kneading
for about 10-15 minutes to get a smooth, silky, elastic dough. Knead in
only enough flour to control stickiness, which will vary with seasonal
dry/wet cycles.
Divide dough into 8-10 equal portions, roll between your hands to make
balls. 8 portions will make nice large-sized burger buns. 9-10 portions
will make standard English muffin sizes or smaller buns. Place
muffins/buns on a cookie sheet well covered with corn meal, allowing some
space between them so they don't touch after rising. Cover with a floured
towel, then a sheet of plastic, and let rise until they are about doubled
in thickness. This will take several hours, depending on how warm the room
is.
for English muffins:
When risen, use a pancake turner to carefully lift muffins from the cookie
sheet and place cornmeal side down onto a moderate heat frying pan or
griddle (seasoned cast iron is great here). Turn the muffins frequently to
prevent burning. They should be cooked only until light brown, because
they will be toasted later.
for hamburger buns:
When risen, place cookie sheet with risen buns into a 400 degree oven on top
of a baking stone slab. The slab is not absolutely necessary, and if you
don't have one use the upper oven rack with a piece of foil partly
shielding the underside of the cookie sheet from the direct heat of the
lower burner on the lower rack. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
If you like a lighter bun, make 10 portions, and let them rise a bit longer.
Ron Parker 1996