Vegan English Muffins

Instructions

1. Add your flour, instant dry yeast, salt, and sugar to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix until just combined (in a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment on the lowest speed). Add vegan butter and almond milk to dry ingredients and continue to mix until you have a sticky, shaggy dough (I use speed setting #2 on the stand mixer).

2. Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

3. After an hour, bring the dough out and either knead it by hand on the counter, or place it back in the stand mixer bowl and knead using the dough hook attachment on medium-low speed (I use the 3rd speed). Knead until the dough is smooth, about 4-6 minutes in a stand mixer.

4. Shape your dough into a ball, then return it to the oiled bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.*

5. The next day, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Then, place your dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Use a biscuit cutter (or the top of a glass) that’s about a 3 1/2-inch (9-cm) diameter circle to cut your muffins. You can re-roll remaining scraps of dough, however they may not come together as well as the first roll-out.*

6. Prepare a small bowl or rimmed plate with some cornmeal or semolina flour. Dip the top and bottom of each muffin in cornmeal to coat (avoid the sides), then place the muffins on the parchment-lined baking trays. Leave space between the muffins, as they may expand. Cover the muffins with a kitchen towel, then let the dough rise until the muffins are puffy, about 1 to 2 hours.

7. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Then heat a cast-iron or stainless steel pan over medium-low heat.

8. Use a spatula to place a few of your muffins in your pre-heated pan, leaving space between them. Transfer them as carefully as possible to help maintain the shape, but don’t worry if they don’t look perfect when they hit the pan. They’ll still puff up and regain their shape while they’re cooking. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the bottoms of the muffins are just golden brown (if it’s taking more or less time, you’ll need to adjust your heat). Turn the muffins and press down a bit with the spatula to ensure the bottoms are flat, and cook on the other side for 5 minutes more. Return the cooked muffins to the baking tray and repeat with the remaining dough.

9. When you have a full tray of pan-cooked muffins, place the tray in your preheated oven for about 5 minutes to ensure they’re cooked all the way through.

10. Transfer the fully baked muffins to a wire rack to cool. After the muffins have cooled, split each muffin with the prongs of a fork, all the way around, then use your hands to pull the muffin apart. Toast and serve with vegan butter and jelly (or any toppings you like)! Enjoy!

For best results, use a digital scale to weigh your flour. If you don't have a scale, be sure you're adding the flour to the measuring cup with a spoon, then leveling it, not scooping the cup into the flour.

Double check that your yeast is instant dry yeast, which does not require mixing with warm water.

Refrigerate (proof) overnight for the best flavor; alternately, you can let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.

Instead of using a biscuit cutter to cut circles, you can just divide your dough and roll each piece into a ball, then flatten it. You won't have to re-roll any dough, but your muffins won't be perfect circles.