Richard Hollenbeck wrote:
> 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.

That's not an English muffin, then. They aren't batter breads.

> 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.

That shouldn't be your standard. That's factory-made bread.
Home made will look different.

> 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.

You're handling it too roughly.

> 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?

It will become a different product.

> 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.

Look into different recipes.

Pastorio