Ingredients
|
Bakers %
|
|
Cornmeal or Durum flour for dusting
cooking surface. Yields 24 to 26 muffins |
|
Sourdough starter (fed 3 hours before use) |
0.50 lb. |
227 grams |
20% |
|
Bread flour (medium) |
2.50 lbs. |
1134 grams |
100% |
|
Milk powder (non fat) |
0.10 lb. |
45 grams |
4% |
|
Yeast saf Gold |
0.01 lb. |
4 grams |
0.8% |
| Sugar |
0.06 lb. |
27 grams |
2.4% |
| Baking soda |
0.005 lb. |
3 grams |
0.4% |
| Baking powder |
0.005 lb. |
3 grams |
0.4% |
| Vinegar (malt vinegar
only) see below! |
0.05 lb. |
22.6 grams |
2% |
| Shortening or butter |
0.05 lb. |
22.6 grams |
2% |
| Water (as chilled as
possible 36 degrees) |
1.70 lbs. |
771 grams |
68% |
-
Using delayed salt method, place all
ingredients except salt in the bowl of a 20 qt. mixer, fitted with a
dough hook. A half batch can be made in a 5 quart mixer.
-
Do not pour the vinegar on the
sourdough starter or the yeast as it is being placed in the bowl, as
vinegar kills yeast spores when it comes into direct contact.
-
Mix for 6 minutes on low speed.
|
| Salt |
0.06 lb. |
27 grams |
2.4% |
|
Total |
5.04 lbs. |
2286 grams |
|
- Add salt, continue mixng for an additional 12 to
15 minutes on medium speed of a 3 speed mixer, or
until good gluten has been broken down. This creates
the crumb structure of an English muffin.
- This is a very loose, soft, sticky dough. The
sticky quality is created through the "over-mixing" process.
- Pull dough from bowl, cover, let rest for 1 hour
45 minutes at room temperature.
NOTE THAT THE DOUGH CAN BE REFRIGERATED AND RETARDED
OVERNIGHT AT THIS POINT BUT THE PROOF WILL BE TWICE AS LONG THE
NEXT DAY. LONGER PROOF WILL GIVE A MORE INTENSE FLAVOR.
- Scale dough from 0.22 lb. to 0.26 lb. (99 g to 118 g).
Mold by machine or by hand (using fingertips on a dry, no
floured surface) into round balls.
- Prepare a sheet pan by sprinkling cornmeal or durum
flour lightly over the surface.
- Place the round dough balls on sheet pans 2 inches (50
mm) apart.
- Using the flat palm of the hand, dusted with cornmeal,
flatten the balls into muffin shapes by pressing down to 3/4
inch (20 mm) in thickness, using a flat palm of the hand.
- Proof in proof box for 30 minutes
- Heat setting, about 330 degrees F., pre-heat cast iron
griddle (grill) or like surface.
- Lift the dough rounds with a spatula, onto the griddle
spaced 1 inch (25 mm) apart.
- In the beginning of griddle "baking," muffins should not
become too brown too quickly, turn down heat. In the
same way, if they have not browned at all and it is 3 to 4
minutes into the cooking, turn heat up slightly.
- Start turning over and over, every 5 minutes or so,
checking for over browning. Keep adjusting heat to get
the muffins firm on the sides without over browning on
either side of the muffins. When the sides start showing
"muffin looking stretched marks on the straight sides."
- It is very important that they do not dry out too much
or get too dark in the griddle cooking process.
- When English muffins are served, they are usually
fork split and toasted, so over or under cooking is very
detrimental to the finished product.
- Turn over to check muffins for doneness every 3 to
4 minutes.
Muffins are done when both sides are light to medium brown
and sound hollow when tapped. They should be firm to
finger pressure on the top and bottom and the sides, firm and
creamy white.
- Muffins cooking time is in the 10 to 15 minute
range
- Remove the finished muffins from grill to the cooling
rack.
- Cool muffins to room temperature before serving,
splitting or packaging.
Muffins should be fork-split or torn apart, never cut
with a knife.
- The tearing helps create more uneven pours to trap jelly
and butter, etc. that is characteristic of the English
muffin.
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