English Muffin Bread

CORN MEAL AS NEEDED

This isn’t “sweet”, but is excellent……I slice them and freeze
individual slices, remove one or more as needed, direct in oven….seems
like it was 400 degrees for ten minutes….really good , you might want to
try it….I don’t fool with anything “half-good” and anything that comes
from me or my book is EXCELLENT to me, and I realize we all have different
tastes as directed by age, culture etc. etc., but I consider my TASTE
acceptable from acceptances I have from my overatures….keep in touch.

This recipe comes to me by the way of a very good friend, Dorothy Carlisle,
and an excellent cook who lived in Hilton Head, S. C. I included it in my
first book, and it is one of my all time favorites. Dorothy has since died
which causes me to treasure it all the more. It is excellent, and if you
like bread, if you like English Muffins, and if you like “easy,” it is for
you. It has the same texture of an English Muffin but has the novelty of
being in a loaf. The recipe makes two loaves. I like to make the recipe,
let the loaves cool, slice them a little on the thick side then quick
freeze them, put them in a zip lock bag, and pop back in the freezer. That
way I can take out a slice from the freezer, squeeze some “Parkay” or “I
Cant Believe Its Not Butter” on it and put directly into a preheated 400
degree oven for ten minutes, and really enjoy the results. Try it! It is
“TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!”

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and
soda. Heat milk and water in saucepan until warm (120 to 130 degrees) and
add to flour mixture, blending until smooth. Stir in remaining 3 cups of
flour. If you are not using a mixer, just do your mixing FAST, especially
when adding the second three cups of flour or you will wind up with extra
flour not incorporated.

IF YOU HAVE A MIXER WITH “DOUGH HOOKS” THEY WORK PERFECTLY First, mix 3
cups flour, sugar, salt, yeast and soda with regular “beaters” for about 5
minutes until smooth. Add the heated milk and water mixture. Use spatula to
scrape the flour from the sides of bowl into the dough. Switch to the dough
hooks and knead at Speed “3” for five minutes as you slowly add the
remaining 3 cups of flour by large spoonfuls, helping with spatula as
needed to incorporate flour completely and get a “good” knead. Grease two
loaf pans and sprinkle each generously with corn meal. Divide batter evenly
and place in loaf pans. Sprinkle with corn meal. Cover and let rise in warm
place 45 minutes. (See Tip below.) Bake in preheated, 400-degree oven for
25 minutes. Cool on racks.
TIP: During last stage of mixing, turn your oven on at 375 degrees for one
minute. Set your “timer” so you will be reminded to TURN THE OVEN OFF at
the end of the MINUTE. Use the oven as the warm place for the bread to
rise. It works perfectly. BE SURE WHEN YOU TURN OFF THE TIMER THAT YOU ALSO
TURN OFF THE OVEN AT THE SAME TIME. I have been known to turn off the
timer, and forget to turn off the oven; then when ready to put the dough in
to rise, the oven is way too hot to use. When removing the loaf pans after
the “rise,” in order to preheat the oven for baking, be very careful in
handling lest the “rise will FALL!”

YIELD: Two loaf pans make about 25 or 30 nice slices.