English Muffin Toasting Bread

It is a day after Diwali. We walk to our backyard. It is a hazy afternoon. The Sun is high up but not visible. It is nippy. The haze is thin fog or smog born out of crackers that were burst by those whose idea of enjoyment is poisonous smoke and loud noise, we wonder. The backyard presents a perfect picture of a beautiful autumn. 

It is the season of butterflies. 

The winged beauties flitting from flower to flower never fail to mesmerize the nature lover in us. 

The intricate patterns and colour on their dainty wings intrigue us and hold us in awe as we watch them fluttering by. 

A few days back, I baked an English Muffin Toasting Bread. 

A simple and easy no-knead bread that is truly delicious and a perfect saver when you want a homemade loaf in a short time.

I have baked this bread many times and we have always loved it. It is a soft and delicious bread.

English Muffin Toasting Bread

Recipe adapted from kingarthurflour.com  

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
¼ cup of water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cornmeal (to sprinkle in the pan)

Instructions

Grease one 8 inch x 4-inch bread pan (about 4 inches high). Sprinkle the sides and bottom with cornmeal.
Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and yeast in a large mixing bowl (I used a steel wok).
Take milk, water and oil in a pan. Heat the mixture till quite hot (hotter than lukewarm).
Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients in the wok.
Beat at high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. (I used a steel spoon to mix). The dough will be very soft.
Scoop the dough into the pan. Level with a spoon. Grease your palm and smoothen the top.
Cover the pan and let the dough rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour or till it crowns ¼ inch over the rim of the pan. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes till the top turns a beautiful golden brown.
Remove from the oven and remove from the pan after 5 minutes. Turn onto rack to cool. Slice when cold.

My notes: I have baked this bread many times. It is very yummy and bakes in a short time. If the dough looks a little dry, add two tablespoons of water. While the bread is rising, it is very important to monitor it. When it crests ¼ inch above the lip of the pan, it should be kept for baking or else it will flow out of the pan from the sides.