English Muffins

English muffins are made with a moist yeast dough and baked on a griddle (a heavy iron plate). to serve, make a slit in each side of the muffin without splitting them apart. Toast them on each side under a hot broiler. After toasting, pull them in half and butter the soft, inner side. Muffins should be eaten on the day they are made.

Recipe:
1/4 Cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (105 to 115 F.)
2 cakes (0.6 oz) compressed fresh yeast or 2 packages active - dry yeast 
1 teaspoon sugar
6 2/3 Cups white bread flour or half white and half whole wheat bread flours 
1 tablespoon salt 
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm milk ( 105 to 115 F).
2 Tablespoons butter, softened 
rice flour for dusting 
oil or butter for greasing 
griddle

Direction:

1. Put the water into a small bowl. Crumble or sprinkle in the year and add sugar. Leave fresh year 5 minutes  and dry yeast 15 minutes. 
2. Put the flour into a bowl and stir the salt. Make a well in the center. Pour the yeast liquid and milk. Add the butter. Using a wooden spoon, beat the ingredients together thoroughly. 
3. Knead by hand in the bowl until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a clan dish towel and leave it in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in volume 
4. Knead the dough again in the bowl. Divide it into 12 portions. 
5. Coat a work surface with rice flour.
6. Turn each portion separately in the flour to coat, shape it into either a round or square shape.
7. Leave the muffins on the work surface, cover them with a dish towel, and leave to rise 20 minutes.
8. Brush a cast-iron griddle with oil or melted butter. Warm the griddle over low heat. 
9. Place as many muffins as will fit without touching on the griddle. (Use a pancake turner to transfer them.) Cook the muffins slowly, 8 to 10 minutes on each side; thy should be a biscuit color and sound hollow when tapped. Re-grease the griddle lightly between each batch, if necessary. 
10. When the muffins are done, wrap them in a thick cloth until they are cooled.