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Richard Hollenbeck Richard Hollenbeck is offline
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Default English Muffins hydration question

Here's the formula I have been using:

English Muffins

method: muffin method

Bread flour 900 g 100.00%
Salt 12 g 1.33%
Baking soda 2 g 0.22%

Water 702 g 78.00%
Sugar 16 g 1.78%
Instant yeast 12 g 1.33%
Milk powder 20 g 2.22%

Corn meal (as needed)

TOTAL: 1663.92 g 184.88%

But, it is too firm a dough. I'm think I might need more of a batter
consistency and pour them into molds on the stove, rather than form them
into muffins. Should I simply increase the water? The formula produced the
correct taste but the air bubbles in the crumb were too small to look like
Thomas' English Muffins. I'm thinking the batter should be a little thicker
than pancake batter. What the above formula produces is a very sticky dough
that loses its shape when transfering it from the proofing bench to the
griddle. With a thinner dough (batter), the holes have a chance to form on
the stove. BUT I DON'T WANT TO MESS UP ALL THE OTHER RATIOS. Will simply
adding a little water as needed do the trick or will it totally change the
amount of other ingredients needed?

By the way, I think a little spray oil in the mold will help release the
muffins from the mold but I place the corn meal on the griddle before
pouring the batter into the mold.