Nooks, crannies, and whole grains, oh my! Made with Golden Wheat Flour and just a touch of flax meal and oat bran, these English muffins are a delightful vehicle for your favorite jams and spreads. And the sprinkling of semolina or cornmeal adds texture and crunch to the exterior of the muffins to round out the whole experience.
For the starter: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine the starter ingredients, mix well, cover and let rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours, and as long as overnight. When it's ready to be used, it will be risen and bubbly.
Combine the buttermilk and honey and add to the starter.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, oat bran, and milled flax, and stir into the batter. When mixed, it will be thick but not quite pourable.
Let the batter sit while you set up and preheat the griddle to 325°F. Grease 8 English muffin rings and place them on the griddle. Sprinkle the griddle and inside of the rings with semolina or farina.
Using a muffin scoop, dollop 1/4 cup of batter into each ring, using your greased fingers to tease it out to the edges.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbles come up to the surface and the edges look dry. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with more semolina or farina, and flip them over.
To check for doneness, run a small knife or metal spatula around the inside of the ring; use tongs to remove the rings from the muffins.
Now you can poke the muffins from the side with an instant-read thermometer. When the centers are between 195°F and 200°F, the muffins are done. Remove from the griddle, split, and toast to serve.
