English muffins

You might never think to whip up your own muffins, but they’re so easy and inexpensive to make at home. Warm toasted English muffins were a breakfast staple in our house — delicious with any kind of topping, sweet or savoury; think homemade jams or some fresh smoked salmon and capers.

MAKES 6

300 g (10½ oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting

2 teaspoons dried yeast

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar

25 g (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted

3 teaspoons milk powder

semolina or polenta, for dusting

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on one side of the flour, and the salt onto the other side of the flour. Add the sugar, butter, milk powder and 150 ml (5 fl oz) water and mix to form a soft dough.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is soft, smooth and stretchy.

Dust the work surface again, this time with a mixture of the semolina and flour. Put the dough back on top and roll out to a 2.5 cm (1 inch) thickness.

Lightly dust a baking tray with the semolina. Use a 6 cm (2½ inch) straight-sided cutter to cut out six muffins from the dough. Dust them with flour and evenly space them on a baking tray. Dust a little semolina over the top of the muffins and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Heat a hot plate or a heavy-based frying pan to a very low heat. Cook the muffins on the hot plate for 5–6 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another 5–6 minutes.

Remove from the pan and cool slightly. Serve warm, or toasted.