Gluten Free Sourdough English Muffins
A childhood favorite of mine, brought back to life in a nourishing and soul filling recipe.
“I realized very early the power of food to evoke memory, to bring people together, to transport you to other places, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
– José Andrés Puerta
The English muffin, for me, is an incredibly nostalgic food. It invokes memories from deep into my childhood. English muffins bring me to sunny California, in the kitchen with my grandmother. Sun streaming into the small kitchen, while the toaster cooks my English muffin, waiting for a good slathering of butter. My grandmother sitting at the table with her shredded wheat and banana. It is just a flash of a memory, but it’s picture is sharp. Every time I eat an English muffin, that memory plays through my mind. Then of course, there were English muffins loaded with butter and cinnamon sugar after school, for the ultimate snack. Before I got sick with celiac, the eggs Benedict was a superior out to breakfast item, because I have never been a sweets for breakfast person and hollandaise sauce rules. At the center of all of these memories is, the humble English muffin.
You, or course, can find gluten free English muffins in the freezer sections of grocery stores. However, I would argue they are not worth your time or your money. They are loaded with modified starches, gums, seed oils and other non-food items. In short, their ingredients are of a nature that I am not interested in putting into my body, especially on a regular basis. Not to mention, buying these items feels stupid expensive and you only get 4 muffins. In my family of five, 4 English muffins do not last very long!
You will find in the following recipe, an English muffin that will fulfill all your breakfast needs. They are nourishing, satisfying, and versatile. These gluten free sourdough English muffins have the nooks and crannies, are light and yet sturdy. They make excellent eggs Benedict, breakfast sandwiches and my kids love them with butter and honey. They toast up beautifully and are good for about a week, if they last that long.
English muffins are made with an enriched dough and these gluten free sourdough English muffins are no different. That means this recipe has milk, butter, eggs and a bit of sweetener. I have not tried to make it with alternative ingredients, but I’m sure an alternative diary would work just fine. You can use active starter or discard with this recipe. I have had great success with both. The mixture ferments overnight. I mix it together about 9:30pm and then roll it out the next morning when we are up and ready for breakfast. It is such a simple, no fuss recipe and then you are rewarded with English muffins for the week!
