I had every intention of making English Muffins today, but the lousy
weather was really bothering my arthritis, so I made the dough into
loaves and baked it. I have done this before with some of the dough
and it has always made really wonderful bread with ingredients I
rarely think of as going all together in a loaf.

Sponge
8-10 oz active and refreshed starter at 100% hydration
14-16 oz flour (I uses mainly Hecker's AP and a little rye or WH
20 oz of milk

Mix all of the above together and allow to sit, covered overnight.

In the morning, , add in the following to make a final dough:
6-7 ounces flour
1or 2 T honey
1.5 t salt
2 tsp baking soda

This can be kneaded by hand, but it's awfully sticky at first. I used
the mixer. Turn out onto a floured board, divide into two and form
loaves. Place in greased loaf pans that have been sprinkled with
coarse corn meal.

Allow to proof until dough is no less than ½" below the pan rim. This
dough has terrific oven spring. Slash before baking. I find this is
wicked dough to slash, especially as I do not allow it to come to the
top of the pan. Don't worry too much as if it pops open, it is
invariably at the edge. Frankly, this happens a lot and I life the
crunchiness of it. YMMV.

This makes two loaves in 8-1/2" pans.

Loaves can be seen he
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2564880...7612397109757/

If you do want to make English muffins out of this, roll dough out to
about biscuit depth - say half an inch or so, cut with a 3" biscuit
cutter and allow to proof 45 minutes to an hour on corn meal covered
parchment. Heat a griddle or cast iron pan to medium high, grease with
a bit a oil, butter or the fat of your liking. Turn down to medium,
cook about 4-5 minutes a side. I sometimes turn them more than once
while cooking.

Boron

On Jan 11, 2:23*pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
> I had every intention of making English Muffins today, but the lousy
> weather was really bothering my arthritis, so I made the dough into
> loaves and baked it. I have done this before with some of the dough
> and it has always made really wonderful bread with ingredients I
> rarely think of as going all together in a loaf.
>
Boron,
What is the purpose of the soda? Two teaspoons seems like a lot, and
it would seem to neutralize the acid and produce CO2, but if you knead
it much I would expect the gas to dissipate.
Doc

Doc wrote:
> On Jan 11, 2:23 pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
>> I had every intention of making English Muffins today, but the lousy
>> weather was really bothering my arthritis, so I made the dough into
>> loaves and baked it. I have done this before with some of the dough
>> and it has always made really wonderful bread with ingredients I
>> rarely think of as going all together in a loaf.
>>
> Boron,
> What is the purpose of the soda? Two teaspoons seems like a lot, and
> it would seem to neutralize the acid and produce CO2, but if you knead
> it much I would expect the gas to dissipate.
> Doc
>

I use that recipe for English muffins. I think the soda give the crumb
it's texture because that recipe is right on. It makes great muffins,
especially good for Eggs Benedict.

Mike
Some bread photos: http://www.mikeromain.shutterfly.com

On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:10:26 -0800 (PST), Doc >
wrote:

>On Jan 11, 2:23*pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
>> I had every intention of making English Muffins today, but the lousy
>> weather was really bothering my arthritis, so I made the dough into
>> loaves and baked it. I have done this before with some of the dough
>> and it has always made really wonderful bread with ingredients I
>> rarely think of as going all together in a loaf.
>>
>Boron,
>What is the purpose of the soda? Two teaspoons seems like a lot, and
>it would seem to neutralize the acid and produce CO2, but if you knead
>it much I would expect the gas to dissipate.
>Doc


The baking soda is there because it is really English Muffin dough and
needed for the quick reaction to griddle the muffins. Since the extra
dough from one batch made such a spectacular loaf and had wonderful
oven spring, I left it in when I intended only to make the dough into
baked loaves, rather than stove-top muffins.

My tendency is not to measure at al when I bake, and I have ditzed
with this "recipe" over the past year or so, too, and had to try to
resurrect measurements for the post. You are certainly welcome to try
it with less baking soda and report back on results.

Boron

On Jan 13, 7:49*am, Boron Elgar > wrote:
> On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:10:26 -0800 (PST), Doc >
> wrote:
>
> >On Jan 11, 2:23*pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
> >> I had every intention of making English Muffins today, but the lousy
> >> weather was really bothering my arthritis, so I made the dough into
> >> loaves and baked it. I have done this before with some of the dough
> >> and it has always made really wonderful bread with ingredients I
> >> rarely think of as going all together in a loaf.
>
> >Boron,
> >What is the purpose of the soda? Two teaspoons seems like a lot, and
> >it would seem to neutralize the acid and produce CO2, but if you knead
> >it much I would expect the gas to dissipate.
> >Doc
>
> The baking soda is there because it is really English Muffin dough and
> needed for the quick reaction to griddle the muffins. Since the extra
> dough from one batch made such a spectacular loaf and had wonderful
> oven spring, I left it in when I intended only to make the dough into
> baked loaves, rather than stove-top muffins.
>
> My tendency is not to measure at al when I bake, and I have ditzed
> with this "recipe" over the past year or so, too, and had to try to
> resurrect measurements for the post. *You are certainly welcome to try
> it with less baking soda and report back on results.
>
> Boron

Boron,
Thanks. I think I understand and I will give it a try.
My English muffin formulation is a little stiffer (see below for a
smaller batch size) and without the soda, but it has been a long time
since I ran it. I will do a side by side run with the same starter
and flour.
Doc

2c active sourdough starter
2 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour

• Combine starter, salt, sugar, flour,
• Knead until soft and smooth
• Roll on floured surface to 3/8” thick
• Cut into 4” diameter rounds (use a muffin ring)
• Place on floured surface in greased (1” deep) muffin rings
• Let rise until doubled
• Fry on lightly greased griddle @325°F for 5 min
• Remove muffin ring, turn and fry second side for an additional 8
min.

On Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:56:08 -0800 (PST), Doc >
wrote:

>On Jan 13, 7:49*am, Boron Elgar > wrote:
>> On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:10:26 -0800 (PST), Doc >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >On Jan 11, 2:23*pm, Boron Elgar > wrote:
>> >> I had every intention of making English Muffins today, but the lousy
>> >> weather was really bothering my arthritis, so I made the dough into
>> >> loaves and baked it. I have done this before with some of the dough
>> >> and it has always made really wonderful bread with ingredients I
>> >> rarely think of as going all together in a loaf.
>>
>> >Boron,
>> >What is the purpose of the soda? Two teaspoons seems like a lot, and
>> >it would seem to neutralize the acid and produce CO2, but if you knead
>> >it much I would expect the gas to dissipate.
>> >Doc
>>
>> The baking soda is there because it is really English Muffin dough and
>> needed for the quick reaction to griddle the muffins. Since the extra
>> dough from one batch made such a spectacular loaf and had wonderful
>> oven spring, I left it in when I intended only to make the dough into
>> baked loaves, rather than stove-top muffins.
>>
>> My tendency is not to measure at al when I bake, and I have ditzed
>> with this "recipe" over the past year or so, too, and had to try to
>> resurrect measurements for the post. *You are certainly welcome to try
>> it with less baking soda and report back on results.
>>
>> Boron
>
>Boron,
>Thanks. I think I understand and I will give it a try.
>My English muffin formulation is a little stiffer (see below for a
>smaller batch size) and without the soda, but it has been a long time
>since I ran it. I will do a side by side run with the same starter
>and flour.
>Doc
>
>2c active sourdough starter
>2 T sugar
>1/2 t salt
>1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
>
>• Combine starter, salt, sugar, flour,
>• Knead until soft and smooth
>• Roll on floured surface to 3/8” thick
>• Cut into 4” diameter rounds (use a muffin ring)
>• Place on floured surface in greased (1” deep) muffin rings
>• Let rise until doubled
>• Fry on lightly greased griddle @325°F for 5 min
>• Remove muffin ring, turn and fry second side for an additional 8
>min.


Looks like a good recipe. Mine does make decent regular muffins, too.

Looking around online, you can find any number of sourdough muffin
recipes. I am amazed by how many variations are out there.

Boron