WHOLE WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS

With a bunch of my colleagues, we were sitting in McDonald and eating their breakfast meals which are sausage english muffins and harshbrown while the rests of our colleagues (including the big boss) were walking down the stairs *from 25th floor* after the fire sirene from our fire training was ringing.

After the training was done, we who were sitting in McDonald and enjoying the breakfast meals before got an email from our big boss which said, "MEET ME IN MY OFFICE!".
Oh boy!! My cubicle friend and I just look at each other on the eyes, the worry eyes!

Then, all of us *who enjoyed the sausage muffins before* walked slowly to our boss' office, and when we stood in his office, we tried to stood as invisible as possible *aka standing behind the other colleagues :)*

That was the funny and thrilled story of my first english muffin :). Now, its been few years after I resigned from that office to be marry my long time bf :).

Since I'm married, I always want to make homemade food, or at least try to make it. And, english muffin is in my list since long time ago. However, at the end I made it :). Whole wheat muffins are my choice. I am really satisfied with this homemade english muffin, not only the muffin's texture is soft, the muffin was beautifully rised :).

You can fill the muffin with jams, cheese or treat it as a burger-muffin. They are all good! :).



Whole Wheat English Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 small egg whites
fine cornmeal or rice flour

Preparation:

In a medium bowl combine whole wheat flour and bread flour, divide it into 2 small bowls (2 cups each). Set aside.

In a large bowl pour in lukewarm ( 110F ) water. Add instant yeast, baking soda and 2cups of flour mixture. Mix till smooth. Allow to sit for 5 minutes uncovered.

In the meantime, add egg white into a separate bowl and beat with an electric mixer until stiff and moist. Once the egg white have formed stiff peaks; add to dough batter. Using a rubber spatula fold in egg whites till incorporated into the batter.

Start to add in the rest of the flour, a 1/4 cup at a time. After the first 1/4 cup mix in salt. When the mixture becomes to hard to mix in the bowl. Pour out onto a flat surface. Knead for about 5 to 6 minutes till it becomes smooth and silky.

Add a little oil to a clean bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Turn dough over till all sides are very lightly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest till double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Afterwards, pour out onto a flat surface. Press to release some of the air from the dough. Using a rolling pin roll out to a 1/2 inch thick. Allow dough to rest for 3 minutes to relax. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cut out circles. Place the cut out pieces onto some cornmeal. When you have left over dough just gather together and cut out a few more circles.

Sprinkle the tops with more cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 45 minutes. About 5 minutes before you are ready to cook the english muffins turn on your griddle or fry pan to 350F or medium heat. Spray with a little oil spray and once the griddle is hot. Place the muffins on and fry. If you are using a fry pan you may only be able to fry 3-4 at a time. Fry on one side for about 4 minutes. Then turn over and fry for another 4 minutes. Serve it warm with jams, cheese or bacon.