Sourdough English Muffins and She & Him Radio.

I'm in such a happy mood as I type this.  I'm swaying side to side, humming and smiling.

The music angels have blessed me with my new favorite Pandora station.  She & Him Radio.  Try it.  It just may make your Friday morning.  It's been making my whole day!

On the other hand, Zooey Deschanel, Otis Redding, Fleet Foxes, Ray LaMontagne and Feist may not be your cup of tea.  In which case, are you crazy?!


I kid.

Anyway.  I assure you this post does have a point.  A sourdough point.  That's right, my friends.  I told you I'd be posting more sourdough recipes, didn't I?  Now, I'm not going to lie - this recipe isn't super, super easy like a lot of my recipes.  It's taken me a little bit to get my sea-legs with this one, mainly because I had to play with the recipe to get the correct amount of flour/liquid ratio.  The first batch I made was flat as pancakes, but alas, we are making progress.  

It's a hard less to learn, but I've found the more you bake the same thing, the better you get at it.  Remember my baguettes?  Well, they didn't always start out so pretty.  But because I've now made them fifty million times, the shape is slowly and surely getting much better, as is my technique.  I assume these sweet little English Muffins will be much the same.

If you've forgotten the wonderful health benefits of sourdough, read more about that HERE.

Sourdough English Muffins
You will need: 
 - 2 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I use freshly ground soft white wheat...see sources for wheat berries)
 - 1 cup of milk, water, coconut milk, kefir, or liquid of choice (I use whole, raw milk)
 - 1/2 cup of active sourdough starter (learn how to make one from scratch HERE)

Step One:  Combine the flour, milk (or liquid of choice), and sourdough starter.  Stir & cover.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours (24 is ideal!).

Step Two:  After the soaking period, mix in:
 - 1 tablespoon raw honey
 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
 - 1 teaspoon baking soda

Step Three:  Transfer the dough onto a generously oiled surface and gently knead with oiled fingertips until the honey, salt, and baking soda are thoroughly combined.  The dough will be slightly wet, and a bizarre airy texture, but that's okay.  Just work it the best you can.

Step Four:  Re-oil your fingertips and shape the dough into medium-sized muffins.  They will rise slightly, but you want to try and make them as true to the shape as you can at this point.  This recipe yields 6-8 muffins depending on how big you make them.

Now, here's another tip I've learned: I shape the muffins and place them directly onto the pan I will be cooking them on.  I use a large skillet so that I can cook them all at the same time.  I've found it impossible to move the shaped muffins from parchment paper to a pan, so I've cut this step, and place the shaped dough directly onto a cool skillet.

Step Five:  Cover the muffins and allow them to rise and rest for 45 minutes to an hour.  After the resting period, remove the covering, and turn the skillet on to a medium heat (I cook mine at about 250 degrees).  You can also cook them in a cast iron or such on the stove, but I've just found the skillet works best for gettin' them all cooked at once.  Adapt the cooking to fit your kitchen - just be sure to cook the muffins slow-ish, to ensure the middle gets cooked.

Step Six:  Yum.  I stick 'em in the toaster, then slather them with some real butter and homemade jam.  Did I say YUM?!?!  These also work great for bacon and egg breakfast sandwiches - I'm just sayin'....

Have you began your sourdough starter yet?  Come on, come on!  I'm peer-pressuring you...I want you to bake these with me!  And I want you to listen to my favorite Pandora station, too!

It can be a lonely 'ol world.  This sourdough world.  All by myself.  Without anyway to hang with...

Feel guilty yet?  Guilty enough to begin your sourdough starter and give these a go?

Perfect.  That was my goal.

Have a great weekend, my friends!

For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.

Sourdough English Muffins

• 2 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour ((I use freshly ground soft white wheat…see sources for wheat berries))
• 1 cup milk, water, coconut milk, kefir, or liquid of choice ((I use whole, raw milk))
• ½ cup active sourdough starter ((learn how to make one from scratch HERE))
• 1 tsp raw honey 
• 1 tsp sea salt 
• 1 tsp  baking soda

1. Combine the flour, milk (or liquid of choice), and sourdough starter.  Stir & cover.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours (24 is ideal!).

2. After the soaking period, mix in: 

   – 1 tablespoon raw honey 

   – 1 teaspoon sea salt 

   – 1 teaspoon baking soda

3. Transfer the dough onto a generously oiled surface and gently knead with oiled fingertips until the honey, salt, and baking soda are thoroughly combined.  The dough will be slightly wet, and a bizarre airy texture, but that's okay.  Just work it the best you can.

4. Re-oil your fingertips and shape the dough into medium-sized muffins.  They will rise slightly, but you want to try and make them as true to the shape as you can at this point.  This recipe yields 6-8 muffins depending on how big you make them.

5. Cover the muffins and allow them to rise and rest for 45 minutes to an hour.  After the resting period, remove the covering, and turn the skillet on to a medium heat (I cook mine at about 250 degrees).  You can also cook them in a cast iron or such on the stove, but I've just found the skillet works best for gettin' them all cooked at once.  Adapt the cooking to fit your kitchen – just be sure to cook the muffins slow-ish, to ensure the middle gets cooked.

6. Yum.  I stick 'em in the toaster, then slather them with some real butter and homemade jam.  Did I say YUM?!?!  These also work great for bacon and egg breakfast sandwiches – I'm just sayin'….