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.
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15 comments:

  1. I wonder myself at the idea of celebrating such a beautiful festival with noise and pollution. Those butterflies are breathtaking beautiful and so is the bread.

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  2. Beautiful butterflies, beautiful light and a gorgeous loaf of bread that doesn't require kneading. A winning blog post if ever I saw one Namita :)

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  3. if we r using active dry yeast ..the dough shd be risen two times???

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    Replies
    1. Hello Priety, The dough needs only single rise in this bread. It rises really well. Do try it. I am sure that you will love it.

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  4. so the ingredients call for baking soda and the instructions for baking powder. which is it

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    Replies
    1. Hello, the error is regretted. Edited. Thanks for bringing it to my notice.

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  5. Hi
    What is the role of baking soda in this recipe
    Don’t we give a second prise to this bread

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    Replies
    1. Hello Maneesha, baking soda makes the crumb reallt light and airy. The recipe does not ask for the second rise.Happy Baking!

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  6. 200 degree oven temp is so low. Is that correct?

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    Replies
    1. 200 degrees C is high temperature. Breads are baked at this temperature.

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  7. Must have killed the yeast as mine would not rise! Milk too hot?

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    Replies
    1. The milk mixture should be hot not boiling. Did your dough not rise at all?

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    2. Mine barely rise, like barely… I think my mile mixture was too hot….

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  8. Lovely looking bread. What is cornmeal ?. Also do we bake in middle rack

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    Replies
    1. Hi Nupur, cornmeal is makki ka atta. You may use atta also.
      If the loaf rises high, bake in the lowest rack. Happy Baking!

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