My original plan was to make croissants this weekend, but time, as it often does, got away from me. However, I was stuck on the idea of making a recipe with yeast. I wanted something a little complicated, but not two-day complicated.

On a whim, I picked up my Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook (yes, I have one – thanks, Pete!) and looked for any breads that Harry and the crew may have eaten throughout the books. This cookbook is amazing in that every food mentioned in any of the books is included, with a recipe, and a citation to the part of the series where it was mentioned.

Fortunately, at Christmas, Ron and Harry toast muffins over the fire, which the cookbook has decided were English Muffins, which fit my recipe criteria for the week.

And it was so cool! I had no idea how they were made! Definitely working their way into my normal baking rotation (which currently includes Banana Bread and Sweet Potato Bread). Get ready to have your mind blown.

First, heat the butter and milk over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts, and set aside to cool. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to sit until it bubbles up.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.Add the yeast mixture and butter mixture to the flour and stir to combine until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Turn the dough to coat, cover, and place in a warm place to rise until dough doubles in size, about an hour and a half. Fun trick I learned for dough rising. Turn your oven on to the lowest heat for 2 minutes and then turn it off. Then, your oven is the perfect warm place for dough to rise!

Anyways, once it did rise, roll the dough out about a half inch thick.Using a drinking class, cut biscuits out of the dough.Spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium low heat. Cook the muffins on one side for 10 to 12 minutes, or until brown.Flip the muffins over and cook for an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until brown.Transfer muffins to a wire rack and repeat with remaining dough.And that’s it! They’re real english muffins, with the seam you can pull apart and everything! If you don’t want to eat them immediately while warm (which I recommend, but understand if you can’t polish off 18 in one sitting), put them in a ziploc bag to store. They toast up great, too!

Enjoy!  

English Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and butter, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts. Set aside to cool.
2. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to sit until foams up.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
4. Add the yeast mixture and butter mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
5. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
6. Place dough in a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray and turn to coat. Cover and place in a warm location to rise until doubled in size – about one and a half hours.
7. Roll dough out on a floured surface to about a half inch thick. Use a glass to cut round disks.
8. Heat a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium low heat.
9. Cook the muffins on one side for about 10 minutes until brown. Turn over and cook the other side until it browns as well. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.