Einkorn Sourdough English Muffins
I’ve been having fun recently playing with my spelt sourdough starter. And my freezer is becoming full with the results. Not too long ago I made a delicious carob bread using the starter. And this week I decided to make English muffins. I’ve never made English muffins before. Which is quite odd because I’ve baked every type of bread I can think of besides bagels (which is going to be next on my sourdough list :)). English muffins are suppose to be one of the easiest types of breads to make. So I felt it was high time I try my hand at making them.
English Muffins
English muffins originate from the United Kingdom. They are round, yeast leavened breads which instead of being baked are cooked on a stove top. The muffins can then be slice horizontally and toasted. They can be used in place of toast and also used for sandwiches, especially breakfast sandwiches. The traditional way of how to make english muffins is with dry activated yeast, flour, white sugar, milk, butter or oil and possibly eggs.
I’ve had a love affair with English muffins for as long as I can remember. I can remember back in the day the commercials for Thomas English muffins with the butter being spread over the “nooks and crannies”. As a child I always wanted those Thomas English muffins but just like some of the other brand name items they were not in my family’s food budget back then, off brand english muffins had to take the place. But I didn’t mind especially when it came to making english muffin pizzas. How many of you when younger made english muffin pizzas? They were so easy to make and satisfying especially as an afterschool snack!
Sourdough Starter
Before making my english muffin batter I decided to split my original spelt sourdough starter and turn one half of it over to an einkorn flour starter. I’m doing this for a couple of reasons. Even though spelt flour is easier for me to digest then regular wheat flour. Einkorn flour is even more so. Also the option of having two types of starters is idea. Each starter will give a different crumb and taste. Also the einkorn flour starter will be perfect for this english muffin recipe as well as for cakes (recipe for a sourdough cake coming soon ).
To split my starter I took 100 grams of spelt sourdough starter and placed in a clean Weck jar. To the sourdough starter I added 100 grams of einkorn flour and 100 grams of filtered water. I placed the jar on the counter until it started to ferment and bubble, which took about 5 hours. The spelt sourdough starter that was left which was about 50 grams I fed that with 50 grams of spelt flour and 50 grams of filtered water and placed back into the fridge.
What is Einkorn Flour
Now working with einkorn flour is a little tricky. So before I get into the best way to work with it. Let’s talk briefly about the differences between einkorn flour and wheat flour.
Einkorn is an original grain that has never been hybridized It’s part of the reason why einkorn flour is so much easier to digest. This grain unlike wheat has never been cross bred. The result is a grain that our body can recognize and digest. Modern wheat has been cross bred many, many times, combine that with the pesticides used, its no wonder why so many people have wheat sensitivities.
Did you know that according to the US Department of Agriculture since 2012 99% of durum wheat, and 97% of spring wheat are sprayed with herbicides? The most popular herbicide is called Roundup which is glyphosate. Studies have shown a link between glyphosate and cancer (1).
Because einkorn is organic there is no cause for herbicide concerns. Einkorn also has more protein than regular wheat and has vitamin B6, potassium and phosphorus. Another great nutrient einkorn has is carotenoids which helps to provide antioxidants to the body.
How To Work With Einkorn Flour
When you’re baking quick breads, muffins, pancakes and waffles you can swap out regular flour for einkorn without changing measurements. However if you are making a dough type bread where yeast or sourdough is needed any liquid used has to be reduced by 1/3 cup. The reason is the gluten in einkorn flour is weaker and there’s less starch than in regular flour. I found this information out by trial and error. My einkorn research brought me to this wonderful site that showed me the error of my ways. If you decide to ditch regular flour (I hope you do) and switch to einkorn please bookmark this site and save yourself a couple of headaches.
Where To Buy Einkorn Flour
Why are most things that are good for you more expensive? This is just a rhetorical question which I already know the answer to and I’m pretty sure you do too. So let me just say einkorn flour is definitely on the pricier side. But it’s worth it. And it’s all about moderation anyway. As a whole we eat way too many carbs in the form of breads, cakes, cookies and pies. Because einkorn flour is more expensive I’ve found a few ways to save and to stretch out my flour. I will be sending those tips out in my next newsletter for all those who are subscribed to the native batch community.
Einkorn flour is normally sold in 2lb bags. I’ve found the best way to purchase it is in two places. First the actual website to Jovial Foods the brand of einkorn I use and the second place right here. Sometimes you can find the flour at stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods.
The Recipe
Now I explained above the traditional way english muffins are made however I wanted my english muffins to be made differently according to my digestion needs. And that is using einkorn flour, no dairy, no white sugar, basically plant based. I found a recipe for the foundation. Then I went about making my changes.
What resulted were REAL english muffins that were full of flavor with “nooks and crannies.:) When I flipped over my first set of english muffins in the pan and saw that toasted golden brown outer surface. I stared jumping up and down like a child. Not only did they look authentic they tasted soooo good. I don’t know why it took me so long to make these.
If you’re a fan of english muffins and you’re down for a little english muffin joy, you have to try these!
Oh and if you scroll down to the end of the recipe check out my mini pizzas using grass fed cheddar, heirloom grape tomatoes and jalapeno peppers.
AuthorDesireeCategoryBreads, Breakfast, Easy RecipesDifficultyBeginnerIf you love english muffins like I do. You're going to love these einkorn sourdough english muffins! They're easy on the gut, plant based and low in sugar. They're also an excellent base for mini pizzas! 🙂
In a large bowl mix the starter, honey and plant based milk. Mix together till blended.
*You want to make sure your starter was fed beforehand and is bubbly.
Add one cup at a time of the two cups of einkorn flour. Mix just until the flour in incorporated. Do not over mix.
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and place in a room temperature, draft free area. Let sit overnight up to 12 hours.
*For example I covered and placed my bowl on the ounter at 8pm the night before and the next day at 9am is what you see in the picture.
Stir down the mixture. Then take the baking soda and sea salt and sprinkle it on top of the dough. Take a wooden spoon and mix it into the dough.
Add a half cup of the einkorn flour to the dough and mix it with the wooden spoon.
Place the other half cup of flour onto a board or counter. Place the wet dough on top and knead the rest of the flour into the dough using a scraper or hard spatula. Once most of the flour is incorporated into the dough with the scraper or hard spatula. You can start to use your hands. You want the dough to be soft, but not sticking to your hands. So you might need to add a more flour to get it to the right consistency. After kneading for 5 minutes form dough into a ball.
Take a sheet of parchment paper and lay the paper on a tray or cookie sheet. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the oat bran on top of the parchment and set to the side.
Roll the dough out on a well floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Take a 3 to 4 inch circle cutter and cut out the rounds.
Place each round on the tray with the oat bran making sure each round is not touching each other. Using the remaining oat bran sprinkle some on top of each of the muffin rounds.
Cover muffins and let rise in a warm place for an hour.
Preheat a fry pan or cast iron pan over the stove on a low to lower medium heat. (*I have an electric stove so my setting was on number 4.)
Place a little coconut oil or ghee in the pan. Place your muffins in the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Flip them over and press down on them with a spatula. Place a lid over the pan for the muffins to cook inside. After 5 minutes on the other side with the lid on top, take the lid off and remove them from the pan to cool.
*Please whatever you do, do not flip them more than once.
When you're done what you'll have are english muffins sooo good. You'll never want to buy them again!!!
The total amount this recipe makes are 6-8 english muffins.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl mix the starter, honey and plant based milk. Mix together till blended.
*You want to make sure your starter was fed beforehand and is bubbly.
Add one cup at a time of the two cups of einkorn flour. Mix just until the flour in incorporated. Do not over mix.
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and place in a room temperature, draft free area. Let sit overnight up to 12 hours.
*For example I covered and placed my bowl on the ounter at 8pm the night before and the next day at 9am is what you see in the picture.
Stir down the mixture. Then take the baking soda and sea salt and sprinkle it on top of the dough. Take a wooden spoon and mix it into the dough.
Add a half cup of the einkorn flour to the dough and mix it with the wooden spoon.
Place the other half cup of flour onto a board or counter. Place the wet dough on top and knead the rest of the flour into the dough using a scraper or hard spatula. Once most of the flour is incorporated into the dough with the scraper or hard spatula. You can start to use your hands. You want the dough to be soft, but not sticking to your hands. So you might need to add a more flour to get it to the right consistency. After kneading for 5 minutes form dough into a ball.
Take a sheet of parchment paper and lay the paper on a tray or cookie sheet. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the oat bran on top of the parchment and set to the side.
Roll the dough out on a well floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Take a 3 to 4 inch circle cutter and cut out the rounds.
Place each round on the tray with the oat bran making sure each round is not touching each other. Using the remaining oat bran sprinkle some on top of each of the muffin rounds.
Cover muffins and let rise in a warm place for an hour.
Preheat a fry pan or cast iron pan over the stove on a low to lower medium heat. (*I have an electric stove so my setting was on number 4.)
Place a little coconut oil or ghee in the pan. Place your muffins in the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Flip them over and press down on them with a spatula. Place a lid over the pan for the muffins to cook inside. After 5 minutes on the other side with the lid on top, take the lid off and remove them from the pan to cool.
*Please whatever you do, do not flip them more than once.
When you're done what you'll have are english muffins sooo good. You'll never want to buy them again!!!
The total amount this recipe makes are 6-8 english muffins.
