English Muffin Toasting Bread

English Muffin Toasting Bread

Is there anything better than warm bread from the oven...the smell wafting through the house until of course the actual moment you cut into it and the bread touches your lips.  Then all your cares just melt along with the butter and everything else in the universe seems secondary to that special moment.  

This bread is that kinda bread....toasted it can be "fresh" at a moment's notice transforming you into that "special melting place".

I remember this bread from years ago.  Why did I stop making it????   Now that is a question I just cannot answer.  Maybe the recipe got lost among the boxes in one of my many moves in the earlier years of my life. 

As I was making jam last week I remembered this delight and searched for my original recipe...not one from the internet, though there are many, I wanted MY recipe from the 1980's written in one of my many recipe collections.  After a short bit of hunting through old books I have resurrected it and I am GLAD!!!  The ink on the page is smeared (probably with butter) and the writing is fading but it is all there and waiting for me to make it once again.  Here we go.....I am excited, aren't you???

This bread is a combination yeast/quick bread.  Why???  Because there is no kneading involved and you don't have to let it rise twice.

So if you like English Muffins....I guarantee that you will like this bread.  

English Muffin Loaf

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. dry years

6 cups all purpose flour

1 TBSP sugar

2 tsp salt

2 cups milk

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup water

Cornmeal

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

   Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda.  Set aside.

2.  Heat liquids until very warm, (120-130 degrees).

3.  Combine the liquids to the dry mixture, beat well.

3.  Stir in the rest of the flour to make a stiff batter.

4.  Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 loaf pans and sprinkle with cornmeal.

5. Spoon batter into the prepared pans.

6.  Cover and let rise in warm place for 45 minutes.

7.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes until browned on top.

8.  Remove from pan immediately and set on wire rack to cool.

The texture is just like an English muffin with lots of nooks and crannies to hide jam or peanut butter in..................

First...slice and toast the bread....

Second smear the warm toasted bread with butter and peanut butter

or jam..............

Then find a place to ENJOY!!!!!

English Muffin Loaf

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. dry years

6 cups all purpose flour

1 TBSP sugar

2 tsp salt

2 cups milk

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup water

Cornmeal

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

   Combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda.  Set aside.

2.  Heat liquids until very warm, (120-130 degrees).

3.  Combine the liquids to the dry mixture, beat well.

4.  Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 loaf pans and sprinkle with cornmeal.

5. Spoon batter into the prepared pans.

6.  Cover and let rise in warm place for 45 minutes.

7.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes until browned on top.

8.  Remove from pan immediately and set on wire rack to cool.

This bread is the perfect vehicle for all that wonderful jam and marmalade that I have been making and storing for the winter!!

Happy Trails,

Mtn Mama