SOURDOUGH BUNS English Muffin Style-Only Better.

•Though they look like English muffins, these big, buxom buns aren't "holey" enough for that label, and therefore I like them much better. They have a relatively smooth, fine-grained, moist interior, which we love. And their hint of tanginess makes them an ideal breakfast sidekick to bacon and eggs, as well as entirely appropriate for lunchtime sandwiches.

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•You'll need eight 3 3/4 to 4-inch metal rings, such as our English muffin rings to bake these buns.

•Ingredients

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•1 Tbsp. instant yeast

•1/2 C water, approximately

•1 cup sourdough starter, refreshed

•2 Tbsps. sugar

•1 1/2 tsps. salt

•1/2 C dried whole milk or Baker's Special Dry Milk

•3 Cs  Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

•2 Tbsp. butter or oil

•1 egg

•cornmeal (for dusting)

•Instructions

•Mix all of the ingredients together -- by hand, mixer, or in a bread machine or food processor -- just until the dough comes together; it will remain slightly sticky and soft. Turn it out onto a well-floured surface, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

•Roll the dough into a 16 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch rectangle approximately 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick. Cut it into eight 3 3/4-inch (approximately) circles; our cutters work well here.

•Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal; grease the English muffin rings (or other round, metal rings approximately 3 3/4 inches in diameter), and place them on the baking sheet. Fill each ring with a piece of dough; sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Place a baking sheet on top of the rings and dough, and let the buns rise for 40 minutes.

•Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're lightly browned top and bottom. Remove them from the oven, and turn them out of the rings after cooling for 10 minutes. Yield: 8 buns.~~Al(Alex-Alexander) D Girvan