Preparation:
Sponge: Butter a 4 quart mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine warm water and pinch sugar. Sprinkle yeast over water mixture. Let stand until yeast dissolves and bubbles. While yeast is dissolving, in buttered bowl combine warm milk, butter and honey. Stir until butter is almost melted. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour and dissolved yeast. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Dough: Butter a 4 quart bowl. Stir salt into bread mixture. Stir in enough of remaining flour with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to keep dough from sticking. Place dough in buttered bowl, turning once to butter surface.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 45 minutes. Punch dough down. Divide dough in half. Sprinkle board generously with cornmeal. Turn dough out on board. Sprinkle cornmeal over top of dough. Gently roll half the dough at a time 1/2" thick. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter into 3" rounds. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Knead, reroll, and cut dough scraps once, if desired. Arrange dough rounds on ungreased baking sheets 2" apart.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 30 minutes. Heat a lightly oiled, nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Lift some of the dough rounds with a spatula onto griddle. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, turning every few minutes, 13-18 minutes until done in center. Cool on racks. Repeat cooking remaining muffins. Split muffins in half crosswise with the tines of a fork. |
