June 7, 2009 - 9:36am
Multigrain English muffins
I have multigrain English muffins with toasted sunflower seeds proofing right now. I saw the sourdough English muffin recipe on TFL and decided I had to try some. I much prefer whole grain breads so these have some unbleached but mostly multigrain flours, my San Francisco sourdough starter and since we love crunches I added the sunflower seeds. I cannot wait to see how they turn out after they finish proofing and I have heated up the griddle. Here is a picture of them proofing:
I will add pictures of the finished product later today. Melody in Santa Fe
Share
Can't wait to see what they bake up like!
They turned out beautiful and I am impressed with the"oven spring" on the griddle. I have a total of 30 so I expect as soon as my husband returns from his 50+ mile bike ride he will be testing them out. What fun these are to make and I expect they will be a regular on our list.
I will let you know how they taste shortly. Melody in Santa Fe
Can you please provide more info on the cast iron griddle you are using? I would like to know the dimensions (length, width) as well as any information you can provide about the source/vendor (particularly, does this griddle come from China?).
Also, you appear to have a gas stove, with the griddle placed over two burners. You have placed your muffins evenly over the griddle.
I have a cast iron griddle that fits the length of my gas stove placed over two burners, as you appear to have done. *However*, I find that the middle of the griddle (that is not over direct heat) is always cooler than the ends (placed directly over the burner). How did you manage to successfully bake these muffins?
Hope my question(s) are reasonably clear.
Looking forward to your response. TIA - sf
Close up of inside:
And the husband loves them. Melody of Santa Fe
Melody! Great looking muffins!
Sylvia in San Diego
Wow, they sure look good. Great job! I particularly like the seeds. Yummy!
Could you please share your recipe? Those look really good!
I will post the recipe tomorrow after work. I will be gone this evening so won't have time until tomorrow evening. They sure made a nice breakfast this morning and I shipped 6 of them to my Dad in Colorado (don't tell my husband though!). I expect these will be a regular every couple weeks.
Thanks for the compliments,
Melody in Santa Fe
TIA, I purchased my Lodge Pro from Amazon and it says USA on the grill side with no made in China reference anywhere -
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-16-Inch-Cast-Iron-Griddle/dp/B00008GKDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1244900783&sr=8-1
It is 20" x 10.5" and yes it does get hotter where the direct heat is but after the first batch I turned down the gas and the entire griddle was close to the same temp so the rest of the muffins browned much more evenly. I think the only real 'trick' is getting the entire griddle hot know that the spaces directly over the flames will be hotter. They all 'baked' perfectly regardless of location on the griddle. I sprayed it lightly with olive oil the first time only. I only wash this with hot water and a scrubby. I shipped 6 up to my Dad in Conifer, CO and he loved them as well.
Now I need to post my recipe as it is different from the one I found here and had planned to use. Mine came out of Ed Woods Classic Sourdoughs.
Melody in Santa Fe
You are very kind to have gone through all this work, testing, modifying, now sharing your recipe.
Ed Wood - Classic Sourdough English Muffins with modifications:
1/2 C cold sponge culture (I used San Francisco)
3 C Organic unbleached flour
2 C KAF Multi-grain flour blend
1.5 C Summer's Organic Sprouted Spelt flour
1 tsp Vital Wheat Gluten
1 1/4 C water
1 C 2% Organic Milk
1 T Agave Nectar
3 T butter cut into small pieces
1 C toasted sunflower seeds (optional)
corn meal for dusting
Mix cold culture with 1 1/2 C of flour blend and 1 C water in large mixing bowl. Stir vigorously together, scrap down, cover with plastic wrap and let proof 6 to 12 hrs depending on room temperature.
Stir down and add in 1 C flour blend and 1/4 C water again mixing/spoon kneading vigorously, scrap down and cover with plastic wrap and proof another 6 to 12 hours.
Stir down. Mix together in glass measuring cup the milk, agave nectar, salt and butter. I heat it until the butter is melted and make certain it is cooled to lukewarm. Add to the dough and stir very well, stir in the sunflower seeds. Reserve 1 C flour blend for kneading, gradually mix and spoon knead the remaining flour blend until too stiff to spoon knead. Scrap out onto floured surface and hand knead remaining flour.
Divide dough in half, roll out 1/2 at a time to about 1/2" thick. He used a 4" round cutter but I used a 3" and cut out 30 muffins. I laid them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment dusted with the cornmeal, cover with plastic wrap and proof 2 to 3 hrs. (Here in Santa Fe they were ready in an hour).
I use a Lodge Pro cast iron griddle set over two gas burners, lightly sprayed it with olive oil and heat it up until a drop of water dances on the griddle. I turned the heat down a bit and placed 8 muffins on the hot griddle. Turn them when they are brown and let "bake" for 8 minutes then turn one more time for another 6 minutes. If I had an electric skillet I would try Ed's method of heating it to 400, brown for 2 minutes and reduce the heat to 350 degrees turn and bake for 8 minute then turn again for another 6 minutes.
**Use whatever multigrain combination you like.
Melody in Santa Fe
James, These English muffins are actually quite simple to make. I love that you "bake" them onn a griddle. We are currently in a house with a ceramic stove top so I invested in a large electric griddle. Just give it a shot and I bet you are more than happy with your results. This was my first ever attempt and I love the way they turned out. Melody in Santa Fe