My English Muffins

These English muffins use an old bakery trick: mashed potato in the dough. The starch holds moisture far longer than a straight flour dough, which is what creates the open, holey crumb and chewy texture you want from a proper muffin. Day-old mashed potatoes work fine, no need to boil fresh.

The dough is wet and slack, more like a thick batter at first. The initial 30-minute proof builds flavor before you knead in the rest of the flour. Don’t add too much flour at this stage, the dough should still feel tacky when you portion it.

Divide into 3-ounce pucks and let them rise on a floured surface until just puffed. Cook on a moderate griddle for that classic split-with-a-fork texture, or bake at 400°F (200°C) on a cornmeal-dusted sheet for a softer roll style. Both work, the griddle gets you the iconic nooks and crannies.

Split with a fork after cooling, never a knife, the tearing is what gives the toasted surface its craggy texture for catching butter and jam.

Kitchen Tips

• Yeast needs water at 100°F (38°C). Hotter kills it, colder slows the rise to a crawl.
• Sprinkle cornmeal under the muffins on the griddle or sheet. It prevents sticking and adds the classic gritty bottom.
• Cook on the griddle at moderate heat, not high. Crank it up and the outside burns before the inside sets.
• Tap a muffin on the bottom to check doneness, hollow sound means cooked through.

Variations

• Stir in ½ cup of raisins and a teaspoon of cinnamon for cinnamon-raisin muffins.
• Use whole wheat flour for the second flour addition for a nuttier muffin.
• Add 2 tablespoons of dried herbs for a savory dinner-table version.