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.

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

"Richard Hollenbeck" > wrote in message
news:h0hgh.7327$A05.5930@trndny08...
> 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.
>

English Muffins require high gluten flour, 12.5% to 13.5% protein. Such
flours should develop the bubble hole pattern you are looking for. Just
adding more water will probably not do it. Regular bread flours have a
protein range of 11% to 12% and all purpose flour has a range of 10% to 11%.
These won't do for proper English Muffins, Bagels, Kaiser Rolls and other
goods requiring high gluten flour.

> English Muffins require high gluten flour, 12.5% to 13.5% protein. Such
> flours should develop the bubble hole pattern you are looking for. Just
> adding more water will probably not do it. Regular bread flours have a
> protein range of 11% to 12% and all purpose flour has a range of 10% to
> 11%.
> These won't do for proper English Muffins, Bagels, Kaiser Rolls and other
> goods requiring high gluten flour.
>

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense. Maybe I could just substitute a portion
of the bread flour with some vital wheat gluten to raise the protein level.
I shop at Winco Foods and I didn't see "high gluten flour" there but I DID
see bins full of "vital wheat gluten" which I suppose is even higher in
protein. Some combination of regular bread flour and vital wheat gluten
could get my flour up to the correct protein level. Is this not correct?