Friends, like most people across the US, including the most unusual places such as San Antonio, Atlanta, and Tuscaloosa, we are having a snowy day. There is just something incredibly magical about snow, isn’t there? Today Mother Nature went easy on us, and I am so thankful. Snow + December Saturday = Disaster for Small Business owners. But Snowy Day + Late Arrival + Warmer Temps = One Happy Chef and Magic. To top it off, it’s the first Saturday in a month we didn’t have to wake up early for scheduled obligations, and everyone is healthy, and our house is decorated, so we could just relax. Kinda.
I mean two boys, not enough snow to sled, one just a had a birthday, the other struggling with Christmas and birthday blues because both are only weeks away started the morning with some firm talks, but we got going in the right direction, and I got the Kitchen Aid.
This recipe is not only delicious and easy, but comes with so much nostalgia with this time of the year. So many memories watching my dad make this.
Let’s get to it. Preparing the loaf pans. While you don’t have to do this first, I recommend it because like all good recipes out of this kitchen, this can get a bit messy, and the last thing you want to be doing is washing your hands, only to get them back in the dough. I give the loaf pans a once over with cooking spray and coat them with cornmeal.
Up next, you need to heat the milk and water for the recipe. If you add cold liquids to yeast, it won’t activate, your bread won’t rise and you will be eating the densest bread of your life. Oh yes, I have done this. One the opposite side, you can’t add boiling ingredients either because you will kill the yeast. Now before you lose hope of trying this recipe – yeast is not something to fear, and there are easy work arounds. Heat the milk on the stovetop on medium heat until it’s warm to your fingertip’s touch. Or the super easy method. Microwave for two minutes, making sure you stir before adding it the mix, so there are no hotspots. The take away – do not be afraid of yeast. You can do it.
From the beginning….
A Kitchen Aid with the dough hook attached is the easiest way. Don’t have that? Use a hand mixer, or a bowl and a wooden spoon or your hands. Above in the mixer is 3 cups of flour, adding to it sugar, salt, baking soda, yeast, warm milk and warm water. Begin mixing on low. You will need to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.
Once the ingredients are just combined, add more flour.
Just about ready to go. The dough should not be over worked, so I wait to add the last cup of flour and incorporate it by hand. This way I can make sure it’s the right consistency as well.
Divide the dough between the two loaf pans. Sprinkle with a bit of cornmeal.
I will be the first to admit, there is nothing exciting about the way this looks. And that’s just want you want. Cover with a dish towel in a warm place. A preheating stove top is pretty good. I turn the oven to 275 degrees and let it do its thing.
Forty five minutes later…
Place into a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Voila.
I skipped a step. I let them sit about five minutes in the loaf pans and then move them to cooling racks. You can slice and eat this right away, or hold off and toast it, adding a bit of butter. The three of us couldn’t wait. As soon as it was cool enough for me to touch, it was sliced.
This recipe makes two loaves (even tho I am showing four) in less than two hours. This bread freezes beautifully, and I love having a few loaves stashed in the freezer in the winter months. It’s wonderful toasted with a little butter and jam added, topped with poached eggs, making grilled cheese or mini pizzas. This also makes a lovely gift.
I hope you enjoy it! And the Snowy Day.
xo, AT
English Muffin Bread
Yields two loaves
5 1/2 to 6 cups all purpose flour, divided
2 packages (or 1/2 oz) dry active yeast
1 T sugar
2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
2 c milk, warmed
1/2 c water, warm to the touch from the tap
cornmeal
Prepare the loaf pans with by greasing and coating with cornmeal.
In a mixer with a dough hook, or a large bowl, mix to combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the milk and water. Mixing until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the flour 1 cup at a time. The dough should not be sticky to touch. If you prefer add the last cup, and kneed by hand.
Divide the dough in half between the loaf pans. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Set in a warm place, and cover with a dish towel. Let stand for 45 mins.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, and after resting for five minutes, remove from loaf pans and set on cooling racks.
Slice and eat. Slice and toast. Freeze for later. Give a loaf to your neighbor.