Cinnamon Raisin Bread Machine Sourdough English Muffins
Toast is a breakfast staple, it has to be the most common way to start the day. English muffins take that brekkie basic to the next level with all of those nooks and crannies. Why not take it up a notch with Cinnamon Raisin Bread Machine Sourdough English Muffins? Love raisins? These are sure to be right up your alley.
Equipment
- 1 1, 1.5, or 2 lb Bread Machine
- 1 digital scale, optional
- 1 Electric Griddle or Large Skillet
- 1-2 large sheet pans I use a standard "half sheet" pan
- 1 Cooling Rack optional
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup filtered water or whole milk, room temperature, SEE NOTES.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup active sourdough starter, See Notes
- 2 tablespoons butter or neutral oil, room temperature
- 2-3/4 cup all-purpose flour or bread flour, See Notes
- 1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or table salt, no iodized.
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, or white, cane, or coconut sugar can be substituted.
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Add LAST
- 1/2 cup raisins, soaked, drained, cooled. Add about 5 minutes before the first mix/knead ends.
For Cooking: Do not add to the machine
- 1/4-1/3 cup medium ground cornmeal, for preparing the baking sheet and preventing sticking.
- neutral oil, for cooking
Instructions
The Night Before:
- Feed your starter as you normally do, making sure you have more than 1 cup or 240 grams, you'll need some leftover to keep it going. NOTE: If you have another method for getting your starter active for baking, do that. (See the sample timeline in the article above).
Day 1:
- Make sure your paddle is in place before getting started. Removing the bread pan before adding ingredients.
- Prepare your raisins by soaking in boiling water for 5 minutes and setting aside to drain and cool.
- Add the ingredients as listed directed by your machines user manual. Start your bread machine on the dough cycle. At about 5 minutes before the first mix/knead stops and the first rise begins, add the prepared raisins.
- Bulk fermentation begins when kneading ends (1 hour 10 minutes remaining), set a timer for the remainder of the time left on the machine.
- When the bread machine finishes, check in on the dough. It should be nice & smooth and the raisins well incorporated.Continue to bulk ferment in the machine as is for an additional 3-6 hours. This will depend on the temperature & environment of your kitchen AND the activity of your starter. Set a timer... check in on it after 2 hours & adjust the bulk fermentation time accordingly.
- Grease a large glass or plastic bowl with a neutral oil. Then using oiled hands, remove the dough from the machine and place into your bowl. Lightly oil the surface of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the morning or up to 24 hours.
Day 2:
- Prepare your baking sheet with parchment paper and a light dusting of cornmeal about 1/4-1/3 cup.
- On a silicone pastry mat or a clean countertop, divide the chilled dough into 8 pieces as shown in the photos. Shape (folding, smooth side up) into buns, pinching and sealing the seams closed at the bottom. Gently flatten out to a patty shape or like a hamburger bun with your fingers and place on the cornmeal/parchment prepared baking sheet.Cover with a lightweight towel and proof in a warm location (about 75°F-24°C) for 1-2 hours. If you have a cooler kitchen, the oven with the light on is a good spot, put a note on the oven if you need a reminder not to turn it on.NOTE: You can lightly dust the tops if you want cornmeal on both sides.
- Once they have increased in size & puffed up a bit. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4 (remove the muffins if they are proving in there). If you are using an electric griddle, pre-heat it to 300°F/150°C-325°F/165°C. If using a skillet, pre-heat to medium-low or medium.
- Just before cooking, melt coconut oil or grease the griddle with a neutral oil. Carefully cook all 8 muffins for 3-4 minutes per side. Reduce the heat as needed. The goal is lightly browned, toasted. As they are cooking, prepare the baking sheet with a fresh piece of parchment paper.
- BAKING TIME: When they are done on the griddle, transfer to the plain parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F.
- Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then split open by poking with a fork all around the edges and splitting open for the ultimate nooks & crannies experience. Toast them or serve as is. Enjoy!
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 days, refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for 3 months.
Notes
Nutritional Values and Servings are estimates only.
Active Starter- I use a slightly lower hydration starter. It is generally on the thicker side, like pancake or waffle batter. Make sure it is active and bubbly before starting. I tend to feed mine the night before and use it early in the morning, roughly 6-8 hours. This will depend on your starter and your personal environment (temperature, humidity, etc.) If you need more information, a sample timeline is provided below.
Filtered Water- I don’t recommend using tap water of any kind because of the chlorine, fluoride, etc. can destroy the wild yeast. I always use a bottle of filtered water for both feeding my starter and making bread, so it's the same here. Using it at room temperature is just fine in warmer months, but if your kitchen is particularly cold, opt for warmer water, no more than 85 – 95°F.
NOTE: You can also swap out the water for whole milk, this can rise a little quicker, or better in my experience.
All-Purpose Flour- Organic unbleached flour is great for sourdough bread making because it has natural wild yeast and beneficial bacteria in it already that encourages a healthy starter and dough. Bleached flours are chemically treated to whiten and remove these vital microorganisms, and can affect the final out come of the bread. A quality Unbleached Bread Flour can also be used, it will likely give you a little bit of a better rise and structure, but I get great results with both.
NOTES: The all-purpose flour I use has a 11.5% gluten content. You can swap out half of the all-purpose for spelt or other wheat flour.
Raisins- Use what you prefer... black, golden, sultanas, even currants
Sugar- I prefer Brown Sugar, see how I make mine here. Coconut Sugar, White or Cane Sugar will also work well as an equal swap.
Nutrition
Calories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 151mgPotassium: 92mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!