The Dahlia Bakery English Muffins

Have you ever been stuck in the negative head space of "Does it really make a difference?"  I've been stuck there for a few weeks.  I think it boils down to the fact I'm the type of person who cares immensely about whatever it is I do.  Sometimes I don't even get it, is it a hill climbing thing?  Or is it something along the lines of I've already learned that, now let's move on kind of thing?  I'm never quite sure.

I've tried to never stop learning.  I'm convinced the mental decline kicks in pronto when you do, or at least in my case.  I have been going to night school for the last couple months to learn web design (feel free to quit laughing at any time).  I struggled through the beginning class and despite learning a few things; I didn't feel like I was any further along than when I started.  I decided when it was over to take an advanced class at a different school.  I don't know if I was just burned out from being so busy this last year or what, but I left half way through the first class and didn't return.

I felt like a total loser.  I gave myself the whole "It really doesn't make a difference anyways" speech.  It did make a difference though and I guess if I really do want to learn it, I just have to dust myself off and force myself to go back and try again.

I picked up The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook the other day and the first recipe that screamed "make me" was the English Muffins.  I really went through that whole "does it really make a difference thing" as I read through the four pages of directions (no four isn't a typo).  I thought after all there is a ton of recipes online already for simple English Muffins that are baked on a griddle.  After much debate and seeing them on Lottie and Doof I decided to give them a go.

Here is the English Muffins recipe I used. I did follow per directions, but I did have a few issues with them.  The dough was over hydrated in my opinion.  Next time I would scale back the water a bit until I got dough that I could handle a bit easier.  My dough was so sticky I had as much on my hands as I did on the rolls.  The wet dough makes shaping a real bear.  I did manage to get them to look sort of round.

Also the recipe calls for equal parts of all-purpose flour and equal parts cornmeal for dusting the pans.  I think next time I will use only cornmeal on the pans, I just don't love that baked flour taste on the outside of bread.  If you do, feel free to ignore me then.  I also dusted the tops of the muffins with the flour/cornmeal mixture or I knew the towels would end up sticking due to the moisture in these muffins.

They ended up having a nice developed flavor from all the rise time and a chewy texture, but most importantly they have the trademark nooks and crannies.  My husband ate three of them for breakfast this morning so I'm going to call them a success.

Maybe my success with these English Muffins will break the night school drop-out curse.  Cross your fingers for me, pretty please!

Gina