English Muffins with Roasted Garlic Butter

METHOD

1. These muffins bring back a lot of warm memories. They’re surprisingly easy to make, deeply satisfying, and work just as well with savory fillings as with something sweet—or nothing at all. Small, but serious. And then there’s the butter. Few things beat a generous slab of butter, especially when it’s flavored. Today’s version is the simplest one: garlic. Mixing raw and roasted garlic gives it a strong, confident kick without going overboard.

   What to buy

   For the muffins

   • 180 ml (¾ cup) milk
   • 120 ml (½ cup) water
   • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
   • 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
   • 360 g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
   • 1 teaspoon salt
   • 45 g (3 tablespoons) butter, melted and slightly cooled
   • 1 large egg, at room temperature
   • Cornmeal or semolina, for dusting For the roasted garlic butter
   • 100 g butter, softened
   • 1 whole head garlic
   • 2 garlic cloves
   • Olive oil
   • Pinch of nutmeg
   • Black pepper
   • Red pepper flakes
   • Salt

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   Steps

   1. Bloom the yeast
      Warm 180 ml milk, 120 ml water, and 2 tablespoons sugar together to about 43°C (110°F) – warm, not hot. Stir in 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast and let sit until foamy, 5-7 minutes.
   2. Mix the dough
      In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 360 g flour and 1 teaspoon salt. In the yeast mixture, whisk in 42 g melted butter and 1 egg. With the mixer on low (paddle attachment), slowly pour the wet mixture into the flour. Increase to medium-high and mix until smooth, elastic, and pulling away from the sides, about 7 minutes. You can also do it with your hands.
   3. First rise
      Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. You can also refrigerate it overnight, then bring to room temperature before shaping.
   4. Shape the muffins
      Dust the counter with flour and turn the dough out. Lightly flour the top and pat to just under 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick, I like them a bit thinner. Line two baking sheets with parchment and dust generously with cornmeal or semolina. Cut rounds with a 6 cm cutter, placing each round onto the cornmeal. Re-roll scraps as needed. Cover loosely and let rise until puffed, about 30 minutes.
   5. Cook on the stovetop
      Heat a large skillet over medium and sprinkle the pan with cornmeal or semolina. Add 3-4 muffins, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until the bottoms are golden and the tops look dry, 6-8 minutes. Flip and cook another 6-8 minutes until the second side is browned and the center feels set. Adjust heat as needed and repeat with remaining muffins.
   6. Roast the garlic
      Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Slice the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves. Place on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap, and roast until soft and caramelised, 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then squeeze the cloves from their skins.
   7. Make the roasted garlic butter
      Add 100 g softened butter, the roasted garlic cloves, 2 raw garlic cloves (gamechanger), a pinch of nutmeg, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and heat.

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   Notes

   • Keep the pan on the lower side of medium once it is hot; English muffins burn easily.
   • Let the muffins cool completely before freezing; reheat in a toaster.
   • The garlic butter keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.