English Muffins

Ingredients

• 5 1/4 to 5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup shortening, margarine, or butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Cornmeal

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan heat and stir milk, shortening, sugar, and salt till warm (120° to 130°) and shortening almost melts. Add to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Whole Wheat English Muffins: Prepare as above, except substitute 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup cracked wheat for 2 cups of the stirred-in all-purpose flour.
3. English-Muffin Loaves: Prepare as above, except reduce flour to 5 cups. Do not knead. Batter will be stiff. Grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Spoon batter into pans. Sprinkle tops lightly with cornmeal. Cover; let rise till nearly double (about 45 minutes). Bake in a 375° oven about 35 minutes or till done. Remove from pans immediately. Cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves (32 servings).