Saturday, February 11, 2012

English Muffin Bread: Fast, Cheap Way To Breakfast Happiness

I just couldn't resist sharing my favorite breakfast bread today. This is a super easy bread to make. And freezes really well. But I warn you, you will have a hard time keeping it on hand. I personally don't see any point in baking one batch of this, so I always at least double the recipe. Or quadruple.

This is a frugal recipe to make as there is no oil or sugar in this recipe. But it begs to be served with butter and jelly or at least a bit of raw honey. It is fabulous toasted. Hope you enjoy!

English Muffin Bread
Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour (I use Prairie Gold Whole Wheat Flour)
2 cups hot water (120-130 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water

Grease two small loaf pans.

In a bowl combine the yeast, dry milk, salt and 2 cups flour. Pour in the hot water and stir to blend thoroughly. Stir in additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the batter is thick. Stir the batter for 3 minutes with a flat beater in the mixer. The dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl in thick ribbons.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in a warm place (80-100 degrees) for about 1 hour, or until the batter has doubled in volume-it will be quite bubbly.

Stir down the batter-like dough and add the dissolved baking soda. Be certain it is well blended. Spoon or pour into the pans, pushing the dough into the corners with a rubber spatula. The pans will be about 2/3rds full.

Lay plastic wrap over the pans and return to a warm place. The dough will rise to the edge of the pans, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees 20 minutes before baking.

Bake the loaves for about 1 hour. The loaves will be well browned and pull away from the sides of the pan when done.

Turn the bread out from the pans. Allow to cool on a wire rack before cutting. The loaves can be kept for several months in a 0 degree freezer.

Nichola http//:peachfarmerswife.blogspot.com

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