English Muffins

For the dough starter: 3/4 cup (3 & 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour or bread flour - 1/2 cup water - 1/2 tsp instant yeast For the English muffin dough: 1 cup milk, - 1 tsp instant yeast - 2 tbsp sugar - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted - 1 tsp salt - 3 to 3 1/4 cups (13 1/2 to 14 1/2 ounces) bread flour - Cornmeal for dusting - Butter for the skillet

Make the dough starter: Mix the flour, water, and yeast for the starter in a mixing bowl. Beat until the batter is smooth and glossy, about 100 strokes. Let the starter sit 6 to 12 hours: Cover the starter and place it out of the way. (The starter will become increasingly bubbly & will double in bulk. Whisk together the water, yeast, and starter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and yeast for the dough. Scrape the starter into the bowl and use a whisk to break it up and dissolve it into the milk. (It should become quite frothy).
Mix the dough together: Add sugar, butter, & salt to the bowl and whisk to combine. Add 3 cups of the flour and stir with a stiff spatula until you form a shaggy, floury dough. Knead the dough until it comes together in a smooth ball, 5 to 8 minutes (If the dough is sticky like bubble gum, add extra flour as needed). The dough is ready when it forms into a smooth ball and springs back when poked; it will feel tacky to the touch, but shouldn't stick to the bowl or hands. Transfer the dough to a large bowl, lightly filmed with oil. Cover and place in the fridge over-night.
Divide and shape the muffins: Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a pastry scraper to divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece gently to shape into smooth, round balls. Transfer the muffins to a baking sheet to rise: Scatter cornmeal generously over a baking sheet and arrange the balls on top, spaced a little apart. Let the muffins rise until puffy: This will take 1&1/2 to 2 hours.
Warm a skillet: Over medium heat, melt a small pat of butter (enough to just coat the bottom of the pan and prevent sticking). Cook the muffins 5 to 6 minutes on one side: Working in batches, transfer a few of the muffins to the skillet — allow an inch or so of space between muffins and do not crowd the pan. Cook until the bottoms of the muffins are golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook 5 to 6 minutes on the other side: Flip the muffins and cook the other side until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
Adjust the heat as needed: If your muffins seem to be browning too quickly on the bottoms (or not quickly enough), adjust the heat as needed. (If you find that your muffins are browning too quickly, throw them in the oven at 350ºF (175ºC) to finish baking through). Transfer cooked muffins to a cooling rack. Continue working in batches until all the muffins have been cooked. Add a small pat of butter to the pan between batches to prevent sticking. Split and serve! Split the English muffins with a fork, spread with butter or jam (or both!), and eat.
English muffins will keep for several days in an airtight container on the counter and are fantastic warmed in the toaster oven. Fresh English muffins can also be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept frozen for up to 3 months.