WHOLE-WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS

Serves: 16

■ 1 3/4 cups (430 mL) lukewarm milk (dairy or non-dairy)

■ 3 tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature (dairy or non-dairy)

■ 1 1/4 tsp (6 mL) salt

■ 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar

■ 1 large egg, lightly beaten (may use an equivalent vegan egg substitute)

■ 3 cups (750 mL) bread flour or all-purpose flour

■ 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) wholewheat flour

■ 2 1/4 tsp (11 mL) active dry yeast (1 packet)

■ Semolina, for sprinkling

1. Combine the milk, butter, salt, sugar, egg, flours and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. Beat on low speed just until blended, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, until a dough forms that has started to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be quite stretchy, soft and shiny.

3. Scrape the dough into a ball inside the bowl and cover. Let rest in a warm place to rise for

1 to 2 hours until it’s nice and puffy.

4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle generously with the semolina.

5. Gently deflate the dough and divide into 16 equal portions. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Divide the balls between the baking sheets, flattening each one into disks about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide.

6. Sprinkle the tops with more semolina, cover and let rest for 20 minutes (they’ll puff up a little more but won’t rise significantly).

7. Preheat a stovetop griddle over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low before adding the muffins, because you want them to cook slowly.

8. Cook the muffins a few at a time, for 7 to 15 minutes per side (typically no more than 10 minutes per side), until the exteriors are golden brown; an instantread thermometer will read at 200 F (95 C) when the muffins are cooked all the way through.

9. Once the muffins are cooked, let them cool thoroughly on a rack before storing. When you’re ready to toast them, use a fork to pierce a horizontal line around the sides of the muffin and then split it open, to create maximum nooks and crannies.

Variation: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can put all the ingredients into a large bowl to mix together into a shaggy mass, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, until you have a soft, stretchy ball of dough, then proceed with the rest of the directions.

Note: The dough needs to rest twice, for 1 to 2 hours and then for 20 minutes. The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated for 1 week, or frozen for up to 2 months. Adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe.