I have always enjoyed English Muffins. When I visited my brother in the UK many years ago, I was introduced to English Muffin Toasting Bread. It’s been awhile since my first encounter. I decided it was high time I made my own. I often create my recipes, but when it comes to bread, I will defer to the experts. After much research, I ran upon this recipe from King Arthur Flour.
With a few tries and a bit of adjustment here and there, I was able to duplicate the English Muffin Toasting Bread I remember from my past. The best part is this English Muffin Toasting Bread takes no time to make, and no kneading is required. You’ve got to love that.
English Muffin Toasting Bread
- 3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Cornmeal
Directions:
Lightly grease an 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan, sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal and set it aside.
Using a stand mixer, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and instant yeast until all the ingredients are blended.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, and oil. While stirring, use a thermometer to heat the mixture to between 120°F & 130°F. Stir continually until the liquid reaches the right temperature. Watch carefully, the temperature will climb very quickly.
Using a dough hook and while the mixer is running, slowly pour the hot liquid in a stream over the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Beat on high speed for 1 minute achieving a soft ball of dough.
Scoop the dough into the prepared loaf pan, leveling it with your hands. Cover the pan with a cloth. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes to an hour until the loaf just appears over the rim of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. When the dough has risen, bake the bread for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Using an instant thermometer check the bread’s interior temperature. It should read between 185°F to 190°F.
Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
Variation: Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread – Substitute 1 ½ cups of whole wheat flour in place of the unbleached all-purpose flour making a 50/50 mix of whole wheat and unbleached all-purpose flour. Follow the same instructions above.
Notes: You can double the recipe to make 2 loaves if you desire. They freeze nicely for another time. Rising time may vary if the heated liquid isn’t at the correct temperature. A colder kitchen will affect rise time, so give it more time. I find placing the prepared loaf in a cold oven with the light on does the trick for a good rise. If you don’t have a thermometer, another way to the test the liquid is hot enough is it should be hotter than lukewarm, and you’re able to put your finger in it. If you find you’ve overheated your milk mixture, not to worry, just stir it until it’s the right temperature. If you desire, extra virgin oil olive may be used in place of canola oil.
When I make this English Muffin Toasting Bread, it only takes a few minutes. The hardest part is the gathering of the ingredients and waiting for it to rise. Beyond that, it couldn’t be easier.
After it’s cooled and ready to toast, you will love how wonderful a compliment it is to your breakfast table. Toasted it was the perfect platform with a bit of butter and my homemade plum jam or a bit of peanut butter. Heck, it also makes for a great base for eggs benedict. Enjoy.
Time to eat…
If you enjoyed this “English Muffin Toasting Bread,” check out Hollandaise Sauce – The Easy Way, Easy Breakfast Coffee Cake, Homemade Plum Jam, and Meyer Lemon Marmalade.
P.S. Take a moment to check out and purchase some of the tools I used for this “English Muffin Toasting Bread” below. 🙂