Recipe: English Muffin Bread, conventional & microwave oven

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD

English muffin bread, when toasted, has the same taste and texture of English muffins along with the added flavor of home baked bread.

These regular oven and microwave oven versions of English Muffin Bread come from James Beards cookbook, "Beard on Bread".

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD
Conventional Oven

1 packet (or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup warm water (100 to 115 degrees F)
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
7/8 cup (7 ounces) warm milk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water

Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a large bowl; stir until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Let the mixture sit until it proofs.

Add the flour, mixed with the salt and warm milk in alternate portions while stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.

Holding the bowl tightly, beat the dough very hard until it shows some elasticity and looks almost ready to leave the sides of the bowl. (Unlike a kneaded dough, however, it will remain loose and sticky.)

When it has an almost gummy quality, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

Stir down with a wooden spoon; add the dissolved soda and beat vigorously again for about 1 minute, being careful to distribute the soda thoroughly, or else the bread will be streaked.

Then butter one 10-inch or two 8- by 4- by 2-inch loaf pans. Fill with dough, using a rubber spatula to scrape it from the bowl.

Let dough rise again in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Bake the bread in a preheated 375 degree F oven until it is golden on top and shrinks slightly from the sides
of the pan.

Cool in pans for approximately 5-minutes, then turn out onto a rack. (If necessary, loosen from edges of the pans with a knife.)

Cut into slices about 1/2-inch thick for toasting, and butter well.

Makes 2 loaves.

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD
Microwave

5 cups all-purpose flour, approximately
2 packets (or 4 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt. Heat the milk in a saucepan until warm (100 to 115 degrees F) and add to the flour mixture, beating by hand or in a mixer until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff batter, adding a little more flour if needed.

Cover the bowl, put in a warm place, and let the batter rise until light and doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Stir down the yeast batter and thoroughly blend in the dissolved soda.

Divide the batter between two oiled 8- by 4- by 2-inch pyrex loaf pans or 1 1/2-quart souffle dishes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Cook each loaf, uncovered, in the microwave oven for 6 minutes and 30 seconds, or until no doughy spots remain.

Cool for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges and remove from the pan. Cool completely.

To serve, slice and toast.

Source: printed in the Gainsville, FL - Sun newspaper, Jun 27, 1991