Benjamin Gardening: Yogurt + Flour = The BEST English Muffins You've Ever Had!

These muffins are one of the easiest things to make that I've ever made, use only 2 ingredients, and are ready in less then an hour. What can be better then that???? While I don't know that I can actually call them "English muffins" because there is definitely a difference in ingredients, they look like them but they taste sooooo much better.

I stumbled upon a recipe that wasn't in English but looked intriguing. I figured out the measurements and made it. While it was definitely very good, I knew it could be even better. I adjusted the ingredients just slightly, made them a bit bigger, and ta-da! It resulted in some superb little muffins.

I thought this recipe may be especially important right now, while much of the country is quarantined and trying to make do with the food they have in their house. There is no kneading, no complicated instructions, and no experience making bread required.

Honestly, anyone can make these.

If you want to make more than 8 of these muffins, I don't think I would double the recipe because it could get difficult to work with since it's quite sticky. Instead, I would make 2 separate batches.

What You'll Need:

self-rising flour (I never keep this on hand, so don't sweat it if you don't either. Instead, I make it by adding baking powder and salt to all-purpose flour - amounts listed below)
yogurt (I used non-dairy coconut milk yogurt so any type you have on hand will do. If you only have Greek yogurt on hand I would guess you may need to add a couple tablespoons of milk or water to it to thin it out, but I've not tried it so I'm not positive.)
a large mixing bowl
a sifter (I used a mesh strainer. I have not made it without sifting but I believe it could probably be done with good results - it would likely make it a more dense crumb.)
a wooden spoon or rubber spatula
a skillet (I used non-stick but you don't have to. If you're using anything else you would want to brush a tiny amount of oil on the skillet before putting the muffins in.)
a lid that fits the skillet
a sharp knife
a spatula
oil (only if not using a non-stick skillet)
a silicone brush, piece of cloth, or a paper towel (only if not using a non-stick skillet)
wire cooling rack (if you don't have one you can use an oven rack, a toaster oven rack, or a roasting pan rack in a pinch)

How To Eat

They are their absolute best the day you make them. If you eat one shortly after making them you may not be left with any leftovers....

That being said, what we've discovered is that once they are a day or more old they are a bit more dense (no yeast = no air pockets) making them hold up beautifully for breakfast sandwiches, breakfast pizza or mini pizzas. Toast or grill them first and then top and enjoy!

Some ideas to use them include:

Toast them - If they happen to last longer than once you remove them from the skillet, you can cut them in half and toast them just like an English muffin.
Sliced and any topping added - jam, nut butter, nutella, cinnamon & sugar, butter, whatever your heart desires.
Sandwich - They would be perfect for making a breakfast sandwich out of.
Breakfast Pizza - almost like an open faced breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, chunks of cooked ham or sausage, and topped with cheese put under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
Eggs Benedict - they would be the perfect bread to add the poached egg, Canadian bacon, and bechamel sauce to.
Mini Lunch Pizza - a little tomato sauce, a few pizza toppings and topped with cheese put under the broiler until the cheese is melted.

On to the recipe!

2 Ingredient Homemade English Muffins

Makes 8 muffins

3 cups self-rising flour (alternatively, use 3 cups all-purpose flour + 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1 teaspoon salt and whisk together)
2 cups yogurt (as mentioned above, dairy or non-dairy regular yogurt)
2 Tablespoons oil (only needed if not using a non-stick skillet)

Add the yogurt to a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave 35-50 seconds, or until warm. Stir with a spoon or spatula.

Sift the flour (or flour mixture) into the yogurt. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, carefully stir the flour in, working the outside of the bowl to the inside of the bowl. The dough will look shaggy and be sticky. Once the flour is almost completely incorporated, using your hand, turn the dough a couple of times in the bowl and then dump out onto a lightly floured counter. Mold and turn a couple of times just until you can mold it into a fairly smooth log about 11 inches long.

Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half. Cut each half in half and then again, cut each of those in half so you have a total of 8 pieces. (the dough is very forgiving - if you accidentally make some too large you can remoe a piece and add it to a smaller one to create uniform pieces) Gently roll each piece into a little ball, using a little flour if needed, but don't add too much. Lay the ball on the counter and press it down lightly, creating flat sides on the top and bottom (see photo below). Repeat with each piece. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Pre-heat an uncovered skillet over low-heat for 4-5 minutes. Once it's ready, brush with a teaspoon of oil if not using a non-stick skillet (use a silicone brush or even a cloth or piece of paper towel). If you are using a non-stick pan, oil is not necessary. Add as many muffins as will fit in the pan without touching. They do rise a little and need some space to do so. Cover and cook for 12 minutes.

Remove the lid, with a spatula flip the muffins, cover and cook an additional 12 minutes. Once the 12 minutes is up remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool. Continue with the remaining muffins. **there may be a little moisture in the pan from the steam that builds up, it's fine. it will not affect the muffins.**

Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before eating. If you cut them open too soon they may be a bit doughy. (not a bad thing....)

To store, once cool place in a Ziploc bag or covered container and leave on the counter for up to 5 days or freeze in a freezer safe bag or container for up to a month.