Easy English Muffin Bread Recipe: The No-Knead Toasting Bread
So here it is, folks! Easy English Muffin Bread….the no-knead, yeasty, chewy loaf of bread you will want to make over and over. I love everything about this bread – making and baking it, toasting it, slathering it with butter and jam, and (of course!) eating it.
11 1/2cupsall-purpose flour (approx. 3 lbs. + 2 oz. by weight)
Half Recipe - 2 Loaves
2 3/4cupswarm water
1Tbs.Kosher salt
1 Tbs. + 1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1Tbs.+ 1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast, may use quick rise
5 3/4cupsall-purpose flour (approx. 1 lb. + 9 oz. by weight)
Instructions
Combine all ingredients by hand in a large mixing bowl, stirring just until combined. The dough will be very thick, shaggy, and sticky.Cover the bowl with a light kitchen towel and place the bowl into a draft-free area. Let the dough raise for one hour, until it is bubbly, light, and puffy.
Meanwhile, spray the loaf pans (I use 9" x 5" x 3" size) with nonstick spray; add a bit of cornmeal to each pan. As you hold the pan over the sink or a trash receptacle, tilt the pan to roll the cornmeal over the entire surface to lightly coat it; dump any excess cornmeal.
Divide the bread dough evenly between the prepared loaf pans, filling them no more than half full. Spray pieces of plastic wrap with nonstick spray, then cover each loaf pan. Set the pans in a draft-free area of your kitchen. Let the dough in each pan raise until it is bubbly and puffy, approx. 30 minutes, just until the top of the dough reaches that top edge of the loaf pans. **Please note: Don’t let the dough raise too long or too high as this will definitely affect the texture of the bread.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from each loaf pan, placing each one into the preheated oven, leaving as much space between each loaf pan. as space allows. (If you are baking 4 loaves, use two racks.)
Bake the bread, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove the loaves from the oven and gently brush each one with melted butter. Return the loaves to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove the bread pans from the oven to a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the bread around the loaf pans; remove the loaves from the pans, brushing the tops once more with melted butter. Cool the bread completely before slicing.
Store the bread at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze the extra loaves for up to 6 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap with an added layer of heavy-duty foil.
Notes
This bread makes the best toast!
To freeze English Muffin Bread, wrap each loaf in plastic wrap with an added layer of heavy-duty foil. It will easily keep in your freezer for up to 6 months.
Is a full recipe too much for your family? You can halve this recipe to make just 2 loaves, if preferred.