I was in Minnesota for a week visiting my sister and brother-in-law. While there, I had some English Muffin Bread. Oh my goodness. It was so good. Where has this bread been all my life?
This bread was great toasted, and it was great made into French toast for breakfast one morning. At home, we normally eat whole grain breads – I just do not like the too soft texture of most white breads. The English Muffin Bread’s coarser texture made it very appealing to me, but I did notice that it was also a little pricey.
If you know me, you know that I love making anything with dough from scratch so a quick Google search turned up a number of recipes. I chose to use the King Arthur flour recipe.
This bread is so good and so easy to make – no kneading required! – that you should try some today even if making bread (this means you Teri!) intimidates you.
English Muffin Bread ingredients – all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, instant yeast, whole milk, water, and vegetable oil. You also need a little shortening and cornmeal to coat the loaf pan.
Prepare one loaf pan by coating with a thin layer of shortening. Sprinkle cornmeal into the pan and turn it around to provide a thin coating on the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the wet ingredients and heat until very warm, but not hot. I heated this mixture on 60% power for 30 seconds and 100% power for 45 seconds. Be sure to mix the wet ingredients very well so that the heat is evenly distributed. (Yes, I know that there is no picture of the wet ingredients step.)
Pour the wet mixture onto the dry mixture, and mix on high speed for one minute. The dough will be very soft, but mixes together easily.
Press the dough into the prepared loaf pan.
Cover and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot. I put my yeast doughs in the microwave to rise.
Bake in an oven preheated to 400° F for 22 to 27 minutes. The King Arthur flour recipe asks for you to take the temperature of the bread. Really. I have never taken the temperature of bread.
Allow to cool completely (if you can wait that long). Slice and it’s ready to eat!
This bread makes great toast, really good French Toast, and yummy grilled cheese sandwiches, too!
English Muffin Toasting Bread Adapted from King Arthur Flour website (here) Makes one loaf 3 cups all-purpose flour Lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan with some shortening, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F. (I used 60% power for 30 seconds and 100% power for 45 seconds.) Be sure to stir the liquid well before measuring its temperature; you want an accurate reading. If you don’t have a thermometer, the liquid will feel quite hot (hotter than lukewarm), but not so hot that it would be uncomfortable as bath water. (I did not use a thermometer. I used my finger.) Pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Beat at high speed for 1 minute. The dough will be very soft. Scoop the soft dough into the pan, leveling it in the pan as much as possible. Cover the pan, and let the dough rise in a warm spot without any drafts until it’s just barely risen over the rim of the pan. (I put yeast doughs, that need to rise, in the microwave.) This will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the cover, and bake the bread for 22 to 27 minutes until it’s golden brown. The King Arthur recipe says to an interior temperature of 190°F, but I have never taken a temperature on a loaf of bread. Remove the bread from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Try to wait until the bread cools completely before slicing and eating.
1 TB sugar
1½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 TB instant yeast
1 cup milk (I used whole milk)
¼ cup water
2 TB vegetable oil
Shortening to coat the pan
Cornmeal, to sprinkle in pan
If you aren’t experienced in bread making, taking the temperature is a sure-fire way to ensure that the bread is done. I did try this, and initially used this method when making gluten free bread because ‘tapping’ just wasn’t the same. It is quick and easy.
Thanks for that information. I did take the temperature of the English Muffin Bread and then I think I slightly overcooked it. Anyway, a nice tip if you are worried about whether or not your bread is done. I wonder if bakers do this often?
Mama
Sounds good. I have never taken the temperature of bread either. I will be making this. Thanks
This is a really good bread. Let me know what you think after you make it!
Mama