Description
Delicious homemade sourdough discard English muffins featuring a tangy flavor and classic craggy texture. These muffins are cooked on a skillet, making them a perfect breakfast treat to toast and enjoy with butter or jam. Utilizing sourdough discard adds depth of flavor while reducing waste.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk (240 grams), warmed to 110 degrees F
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams or 1 ounce) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) brown sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) active dry yeast
- ½ cup (140 grams) sourdough discard
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (6 grams) kosher salt
For Dusting
- Cornmeal or semolina flour
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine warm milk, melted butter, sourdough discard, brown sugar, and active dry yeast. Let sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast. Then add bread flour and kosher salt, mixing with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a slightly sticky dough forms and all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Let Dough Rise: Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, approximately 60 to 90 minutes. For extra flavor, you may refrigerate the dough overnight at this stage (optional).
- Prepare Dough for Shaping: Once risen (or chilled), turn the dough onto a floured surface and press or roll out to about 1-inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or jar to cut rounds. Collect scraps, stack, re-roll, and cut again. Thickness can be adjusted to yield 9-10 muffins depending on size.
- Shape Muffins: Place the cut rounds on a pan heavily dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour. Dust both sides of the muffins well. Cover and let rise for about one hour until puffy and light; if dough was refrigerated, rising may take about two hours.
- Cook Muffins: Preheat an electric skillet to 300°F or heat a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Place risen muffins in the skillet spaced apart. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the muffins, cover again, and cook for another 5 minutes. Reduce heat to about 250°F if needed and flip muffins several times until internal temperature reaches 195-200°F. Alternatively, finish cooking the muffins in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes depending on thickness.
- Cool and Serve: Transfer muffins to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature. For characteristic craggy nooks and crannies, use a fork and fingers to pry the muffins apart before toasting and serving.
- Alternative Shaping Option: Instead of rolling and cutting rounds, divide dough into 8-12 pieces, shape each into a ball, then press flat into a disk. This technique reduces scraps and simplifies preparation.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough overnight after the first rise enhances flavor development.
- Use cornmeal or semolina generously to prevent sticking and add texture.
- Cook muffins slowly over moderate heat to ensure they cook through without burning.
- Check internal temperature of muffins for perfect doneness (195-200°F).
- Customize sweetness by adjusting brown sugar or substituting with preferred sweetener.
- For best texture, separate muffins with a fork rather than slicing with a knife.
