Wheat & Spelt English muffins

I am so ready for a full month of Christmas cheer. 
This Christmas is extra special: the Man and I are going to get our first Christmas tree for our first house as a couple, set up an advent calendar in the kitchen, decorate our new lounge with fairy lights and our front door with a Christmas wreath...
I feel like a grown up, but for once being a "grown up" involves a lot of fun! (Paying the bills and dealing with plumbing issues are not grown up tasks I particularly enjoy).
It feels a bit silly to start feeling like a grown up at 33. Maybe I took my time to grow up, or maybe it's just part of being a Londoner to feel like a youngster a bit longer than the rest of the population...who knows?
Anyways, I hope you have got your order for mince pies and your spices for mulled wine? 
Ready, steady, Christmas!

Spelt and Wheat English Muffins

Ingredients (for 8 muffins) 
150g strong white bread flour, plus extra for flouring

150g spelt flour

6g fast-action yeast

6g salt

15g caster sugar

15g softened butter, cut into small pieces

1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten

170ml milk (should make a soft dough – you can add up to about 30mlextra if needed)

oil, for greasing

15g semolina or polenta, plus extra for dusting

 

Method: 

1/ Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on one side of the flour and the salt into the other side of the flour. Add the sugar, butter, egg and milk, then mix all the ingredients together to form a soft dough.

2/ Turn the mixture out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until soft, smooth and stretchy.

3/ Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the oiled bowl, cover and leave to prove for about one hour, or until doubled in size.

4/ Dust the work surface with a mixture of the semolina/polenta and flour. Tip the dough out onto the work surface and roll out to about 2.5cm thick.

5/ Lightly dust two baking trays with half of the semolina or polenta.

6/ Using a 9cm straight-sided cutter, cut out eight muffins. Place four muffins, evenly spaced apart on each of the dusted baking trays. Dust the remaining semolina or polenta over the top of the muffins.

7/ Leave to prove for another 30 minutes.

8/ Preheat the hot plate or a heavy-based frying pan on the hob to a very low heat. Griddle the muffins for approximately 5-6 minutes, then flip over and griddle for another 5-6 minutes on the other side.

Recipe from Paul Hollywood