This wonderful bread tastes like English muffins, complete with all the little crannies to catch your butter, jelly, or whatever you slather on it. Because it’s a batter bread, you mix it, let it rise in the pans, and then bake it—no kneading.
5 1/2 – 6 C. all-purpose flour
2 pkg./ 2 T. dry yeast
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 C. milk
1/2 C. water
Cornmeal for dusting
In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 C. of the flour, the yeast, sugar, salt and soda. Heat the liquids together until very warm (120º) and add to dry mixture. Beat well. Gradually add enough more flour to make a stiff batter. Butter/grease two 8×4” bread pans liberally and sprinkle in cornmeal; rotate and shake to coat all inside surfaces. Spoon the batter evenly into the pans*, butter/grease the tops of the loaves, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until loaves are slightly above the tops of the pans. Bake at 400º for about 25 minutes. Loosen sides and remove bread from the pans to cool on a rack.
Kitchen Hint: This batter is sticky and I find it easier to butter my hands and grab it rather than trying to spoon it into the pans. The bread makes excellent toast and even better French toast because it really soaks up the egg mixture!