English Muffin Bread

Active Time:

20 mins

Chill Time:

12 hrs

Total Time:

16 hrs 55 mins

Servings:

Yield:

1 loaf

English muffins are heralded for their craggily texture, which makes them ideal for sopping up butter and jam. This bread is no different, but instead of individual rounds, you get a sliceable loaf perfect for setting out on the breakfast or dinner table. To enhance the yeasted flavor, give this bread more character, and extend its shelf life, this recipe uses a biga, aka a pre-dough, that sits for at least 12 hours, so start this bread the night before.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between English muffin bread and regular bread?

Compared to regular bread dough, English muffin bread dough has a pretty high level of hydration. This wet and tacky dough, along with baking soda, encourages more bubbles to form in the bread, hence the nooks and crannies.

Why did my English muffin bread not rise?

Packaged yeast does expire, so be sure to check the expiration date on your package before making your loaf. If the yeast is dead, your loaf will not rise.

What is a biga?

A biga is a combination of yeast, water, and flour that is mixed into a dough and allowed to ferment for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours. This pre-dough is then mixed with fresh yeast and flour to make bread with deeper flavor and a longer shelf life than if a biga was not added.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

The biga is here to provide deeper flavor to the yeast bread but if you’re in a hurry, you can skip that step and add those amounts to the bread recipe to make up for it.

Make ahead

Let the bread cool completely then store in a ziplock bag at room temperature for up to three days. You can also wrap it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze it for up to three months. Thaw the bread on the counter before slicing.

Ingredients

Biga

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup tap water
1/4 teaspoon instant or quick-rising yeast

Bread

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing bowl and plastic wrap
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant or quick-rising yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 cup, plus 1 tablespoon tap water, divided
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
Yellow cornmeal

Directions

Prepare the Biga

Stir together flour, water, and yeast in a small bowl, forming a sticky dough. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. (Biga will rise slightly.)
Prepare the Bread

Place Biga, oil, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 cup of the water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until mixture looks creamy, about 1 minute. Add flour, beating on low speed. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until dough starts to pull away from sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Switch to a dough hook attachment, and beat on medium speed until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Stir together baking soda and remaining 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until combined. Punch dough down, and stir in baking soda mixture until combined (it will be streaky).
Brush an 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Transfer dough to prepared loaf pan, and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough, and brush with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool in loaf pan 5 minutes; invert onto a wire rack, and brush with any remaining butter. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.