This sourdough English muffin bread makes THE perfect toast and is a superb companion to salted butter and homemade jam or preserves. English muffins, though worth the effort, can be a bit time-consuming to make. Sourdough English muffin bread, on the other hand, is a one-shot bake that leaves you with a springy, but coarsely-textured loaf that’s perfect for slicing and toasting. It’s all the English muffin glory with none of the fuss, and we can guarantee that this toasty gem will be a mainstay in your mornings.
On the stove top or in a microwave, warm the milk until lukewarm to the touch. Transfer it into a large mixing bowl and add the starter. Stir to combine.
To the same bowl, add the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and sugar and, using a dough whisk or your hands, mix to form a sticky, wet dough.
Cover with a lid and set aside in a warm, draft-free environment until doubled in size, about 2-3 hours. See notes.
Once doubled, mix the baking powder and water together and stir the mixture into the dough until thoroughly combined. This will be a require a sturdy hand and the dough will get deflated, which is okay.
Transfer dough to a greased 8 x 4 inch (20 x 10 cm) loaf pan and smooth it out as best as possible with the back of a spoon.
Cover with a tea towel and place back in a warm, draft-free environment to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake until golden brown and bread begins to pull away from the pan, approximately 35-40 minutes. Alternatively, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre of the loaf should read 200°F (95°C) when ready.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into it. Bread is best served toasted, warm, and slathered with your favourite spread.
Notes
If you have a scale, I can’t recommend enough the importance of using it here. I’ve measured starter by weight and volume on several different occasions and I’ve gotten completely different results. In this recipe, the hydration matters. Weighing your ingredients ensures that (the ever so important) 245 grams of sourdough starter is added to the dough. Please note when to add the baking powder. It DOES NOT go in to the bread dough when initially mixing. It goes into the dough just before the final rise. Just work the dough a bit to mix it in. It will deflate, that's okay.To make a makeshift proofer for proofing your bread, place the dough inside the oven (inside its covered bowl or loaf pan). Turn the oven on to preheat and set the time for 1 minute. When the time is up, immediately turn the oven off. The initial heat produced will create the perfect temperature for proofing your bread.This bread is best served toasted, warm, and slathered with your favourite spread.