English Muffins

1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk (I just stuck it in the microwave for about a minute or so)

3 tbsp softened butter (this too...)

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten (they said large, I used extra large as I only bake with extra large)

4 1/2 cups flour (it says bread flour, I did have some, just not enough, so it was half and half bread and AP)

2 tsp instant yeast

cornmeal, for sprinkling (they said semolina or farina, which I didn't have, my brother-in-law, who is a chef, said to use cornmeal and it worked)

Combine all the ingredients in your bread machine and set it on dough cycle. [You can also do it by hand and the recipe has the information for you.] This completely filled my bread machine - as in the dough was up to the top and almost overflowing. [Update: I literally bought a new, larger, bread maker to accommodate this and a double batch of pizza dough.] My bread maker dough cycle is 1 hour and a half, that's about what it will take if you do it by hand as well in rising time.

You have to prepare a place for the dough, which you are about to shape. They recommend if you have enough space to do it on the griddle you plan to fry with. I don't have that type of space. But if you do, cool. So wherever you plan to put the dough after you shape it into muffins, spray it with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. I used a large baking sheet. Deflate the dough and divide it into 16 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball and then flatten into about 3 inch circles. I did have to use a little flour on my hands as I rolled because the dough is very sticky. Sprinkle tops with cornmeal as well.

Cover the muffins and let them rest for 20 minutes. They recommended parchment and that's what I used. They won't rise a lot, but will puff. I think I actually left it closer to an hour as I was doing something else.

Transfer carefully to the griddle if not already on it (trying not to lose the puff). Cook muffins over low heat for 7-15 minutes per side, until the crust is golden brown and interior is cooked, which is about 200 for the interior (and I did check on some as it is hard to tell if the middle is done..what I figured out was that I needed a few minutes after I thought the outside was done). They said if your outside is done before the inside you can put it into a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. I didn't need to do this, though.

Remove and cool. They remind you to use a fork, not a knife, to split the muffins. I did make Ray do it this.

Makes 16 muffins.