English muffins

This week I had planned to make the English muffins again for breakfast, hopefully getting them right by using the proper raising ingredient - baking soda and a deeper egg ring to get a good thick or high muffin. I woke up super early on Friday morning, I can't wait for daylight savings to start, so I thought I'd make a loaf of fruit bread then make the muffins for breakfast before going to the osteopath. However I think 5am is just too early and my brain was super addled from lack of sleep and the tail end of a head cold.

You see I had got 45 minutes into the first rise for loaf and nothing had happened. Then I got to thinking and wondering. Had I put the yeast in? Nope I don't think I did! Anyway, I added the yeast and set it out to rise again and it did a reasonable job.  However, this delay had put me behind schedule and I didn't have enough time to make the muffins for breakfast and Neil was going to have to bake the bread for me. When I got back from the osteopath I noticed that I'd also burnt the tamari nut mix I had in the oven before the bread was due to go in. Also the fruit loaf was looking a bit dense indicated that it didn't quite get enough rising second time round. At that point I decided to give up doing any further baking for the day!

Saturday morning dawned and I'd managed to sleep in past 6am which is really good going for me! Just as well as I needed it. Anyway it meant I could get into the kitchen at a reasonable time and with a clear head and give the muffins another go. The batter is rather simple, especially when you remember to use baking soda and not baking powder. After a quick whisk it was nice and thick and smooth. I varied from the recipe as I used deep non-stick eggs as I couldn't find 3 1/2 inch muffin rings and I really was keen to use the suggested alternative (cut rings from tin cans!) Now this makes it a little trickier when trying to flip them as the use of non-stick rings means that the muffin will slide out with ease. So I just lifted them up on egg flip, took of the ring and used my finger flip them over onto the frying pan, and then quickly slipped the egg ring back over to keep the batter in. Easier said than done and you don't always get a smooth transition but hey I like rustic looking (read raggedy edged) muffins.

Also, when it comes to eating the muffins, I really don't think you need to wait for them to cool. Actually they taste rather good still warm with butter and jam or butter and Vegemite! Yum. However they can be cooled, stored wrapped in the fridge and then toasted, which I did for lunch with ham, tomato and cheese! Delicious indeed and a nice change from bread or corn thins. Anyway here is the recipe, enjoy!

Rice flour English muffins (the wheat-free cook, by Jacqueline Mallorca)

makes 5-7
unsalted butter
2/3c white rice flour
plus extra for muffin rings and non-stick frying pan
1/3c tapioca sugar
1tsp sugar
1tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1tsp canola oil
1/2c plain yogurt

1. Butter the insides of five 3 1/2 inch muffin rings (or if you have non-stick deep eggs rings these work just as well) and dust with rice flour. (Dipping them in the flour is the easiest way to do this)

2. Whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and whisk in the canola oil and yogurt.

3. Place a non-stick fry-pan/griddle on medium heat, and set the muffin rings in place. Sprinkle a little rice flour on the pan/griddle surface inside each one to prevent the muffins from sticking.

4. When the pan/griddle is hot, add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and stir well to form a puffy batter. Half fill each muffin ring smoothing the surface and dust lightly with additional rice flour. After a minute nudge each ring with a spatula to make sure  it isn't sticking, and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Holding tongs in one hand and a spatula in the other, pick up each ring (the muffin won't fall out - actually if your using non-stick egg rings they will!) and place on the spatula. Reverse the muffins back onto the pan/griddle and continue cooking until the second side is browned and the muffin is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a rack. When the rings are cool enough to handle free the muffins with a knife blade and let cool completely. Split (never cut) by inserting the tines of a fork horizontally around each muffin and pry apart for optimal cragginess. Then toast and eat with your favorite muffing topping. The muffins will keep for 2-3 days wrapped and refrigerated or they may be frozen.

Baked Saturday 2nd Oct 2010