English Muffin Bread: BOM

The Artisan Bread Bakers picked English Muffin Bread as the Bread of the Month (BOM) this month.  I really like English Muffin Bread because it’s very versatile.  It tastes great toasted with butter or jam and makes a delightful grilled cheese sandwich.  My youngest son is home from college so I decided to make this bread as a sandwich bread while he’s home.

It’s been really cold the past couple of weeks so we’ve been enjoying this bread toasted with cheese and served with delicious Tomato Soup.  Comfort food at it’s finest in my opinion.

 

English Muffin Bread

Makes 1 loaf

The basic recipe was inspired by King Arthur Flour.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• cornmeal, to sprinkle in pan
  

Directions:

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and yeast in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F. The liquid should be hotter than lukewarm, but not so hot that it would scald you. Pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl.

Beat at high speed for 1 minute, or mix thoroughly with a dough whisk or sturdy spoon. The dough will be very soft.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal. Scrape the dough into the pan, leveling it in the pan as much as possible.

Cover the pan, and let the dough rise till it's just barely crowned over the rim of the pan, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

 

When the dough is almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the cover, and bake the bread for 20 to 22 minutes, until it is golden brown and its interior temperature is 190°F. Remove the bread from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.

Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

 

BOM (Bread of the Month) is a virtual bread-baking party hosted by Phyl Of Cabbages & King Cakes.  Visit the Facebook page to learn more about the Artisan Bread Baking group.

Happy Baking!
Cathy