English Muffin Bread

With my new proofing oven, I’ve been dying to make new types of bread. I saw this loaf come up on My Baking Addiction and it looked perfect. I love English Muffins so why wouldn’t I like it in the form of a loaf? This weekend was windy and rainy and my husband was fighting a cold, so I figured that bread and soup would make a nice dinner in.

This bread is so quick to make, which is so unusual for a yeast loaf. Due to the airy texture of the loaf, you don’t want to spend lots of time kneading the dough or allow it to rise in the same way that most loaves do. You mix everything together and stir for one minute. Put it in the pan and let it rise and then bake. I think from start to finish this took about and 15 minutes, which seems like some sort of speed record. Despite the quickness of making this loaf it is very, very tasty! It was perfect paired with soup for dinner. What was left over was perfect toasted with some jam. I can't wait to make this again.

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 package yeast
1 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
cornmeal

In a large mixer bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and yeast; stir with the paddle attachment to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the milk, water, and oil and heat to between 120 and 130 degrees. Make sure to stir the liquid before measuring its temperature. Pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients. Beat at high speed for 1 minute, the dough will be quite soft and sticky.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal. Using a greased spatula, scoop the dough into the prepared pan. Level out the dough as best you can.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it's just barely crowned over the rim of the pan (no more than ¼ inch above the rim). This will take about 45 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the plastic wrap, and bake the bread for 22 to 27 minutes, until it is golden brown and its interior temperature is 190 degrees. Cool the bread for 5 minutes and then turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Recipe from My Baking Addiction, via King Arthur Flour