Muffin Mania

In 1982 we attended a performance of Nicholas Nickelby presented by the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival.  The performance was 8 1/2 hours long, but we got a break for dinner.  It was the most spectacular theater experience I have ever had.  In the play, the United Metropolitan Improved Hot Muffin and Crumpet Baking and Punctual Delivery Company attempts to put the muffin boys out of business.  The muffin boys stage a protest, and throw muffins into the audience.    I did not get a muffin that night, but I have since learned to bake them for myself.  

Ever since reading Zoe's post about English Muffins I have made them with all sorts of dough.  English Muffins freeze beautifully, and are a great way to use up dough.  Because I like the look of both top and bottom of the muffin being flat I cook them on my griddle, but I have also baked them as Zoe recommends.  You can flip them in the oven after a few minutes if you want, to get a more English Muffin look, but it is not necessary.  I do not use muffin rings, I just roll out the dough and cut it with a biscuit cutter.  I think the key to the English Muffin effect is plenty of corn meal.

 
To make getting them onto the griddle easier I put plenty of cornmeal on parchment paper, roll out the dough, cut it with a 3 inch biscuit cutter, put it on the paper and sprinkle the tops well with corn meal.  

 
Then, I cut the parchment paper around each muffin-not too hard, especially with one of these cutters.  Then after the muffins have risen 20-30 minutes I transfer them, parchment paper and all, to a 375 degree griddle.  I cook each side 7-8 minutes. 

 

After a few minutes on the first side, I slide the muffins off the parchment paper to let them brown better.  Then after 7-8 minutes I flip them and cook the other side. 

 
And there we are.  Making English Muffins is a great way to use up dough when I have too much and it is getting down to the wire.  I split them and freeze them to toast for breakfast.