This. Was. The. Weirdest. Dough. I've. Ever. Seen.
I love English muffins, and I've always wanted to make some. Typically, they require rings to put the dough in though (to keep the round shape) and I don't have those so I've put it off. When I saw that there was a loaf of bread like unto English muffins, I jumped on it!
I think I know now why English muffins are griddled in rings. The dough was more like batter. If they weren't griddled in rings they'd turn into weird, bready pancakes because they'd spread all over.
The whole time I was making this bread, I kept thinking "I've messed up. I totally messed up somewhere. Something is wrong." But no! I got two awesome loaves of bread from the batter-like dough!
With that being said, I had these puppies mixed up, rising, and in the oven within an hour. AN. HOUR. I know! And if you are timid of yeast breads, try this. It's impossible, IMPOSSIBLE I TELL YOU!, to mess it up.
Also, if you are as fortunate as I am, you will be able to trade one of the loaves for a brand new crepe pan (thanks again Elisabeth!).
Can you shake a stick that that? I tell you that you cannot.
*The original recipe was too lackadaisical for me. I did not like the lack of consideration for the yeast bread making process, so I'm going to adapt it to the way I made it.
English Muffin Bread
2 and 3/4 cups warm water (between 105-115 degrees)
3 and 1/4 teaspoons plus another 1/8 teaspoon yeast
(I know that's weird but the original recipe was for 4 loaves and I halved all of these, if you want to make it easier on yourself, do 1 and a half packages of yeast)
1 Tablespoon salt
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
5 and 1/2 cups flour
1. Combine water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for a couple of minutes.
2. Add flour, and then salt. Mix all ingredients well. Let stand until doubled.
3. Distribute dough between 2 greased loaf pans. Let stand until it reaches the top edges of the pans.
4. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter and then bake another 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
TA DA! So easy. I recommend toasting a slice and then adding butter and jam. Yum.
Here's what the water/sugar/yeast should look like after a couple of minutes. Just let it sit long enough for the yeast to really activate. You can't mess this up, remember?
Okay, do you see this? Do you see why I thought I was losing my mind? Does this look like DOUGH? NO! But this is what the dough should look like :)
Before rising.
After rising.
Let it go all the way to the top! Be sure and have the oven preheated so you can put both loaves right in.
Here they are pre-buttering.
Mmmmm. Nice and golden.
Do you see all of the English muffin-like goodness going on there?
This is really easy and good bread!
Recipe source: adapted from Pinching Your Pennies