Whole Wheat English Muffins

I love English muffins! I adore their nooks and crannies...the way they soak up melted butter and jelly. Always best eaten warm and crunchy, just out of the toaster. I usually make my sandwiches with them as well (the perfect size when I can't commit to two full slices of bread). Problem is I've never found a store-bought English muffin made with whole wheat that was very good. And so when I decided to use all whole wheat in this recipe I found on Baking Bites, I didn't have very high expectations. Making the batter (although maybe it's technically a dough since it contains yeast?) couldn't be easier. It sits on the counter for 40 minutes and then you're ready to heat up your griddle and put your baking cap on. English muffins take more patience than pancakes because it takes them a while longer to cook through...but they're worth the wait! They turned out soft and chewy, and full of those characteristic english muffin rivets! Yours and mine might not be perfectly round, but who notices a few imperfections when they taste so scrumptious!

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup warm water (100-110 F)
1 Tbsp. sugar or honey
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (100-110 F)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, whisk together water, sugar or honey, and yeast and let mixture stand for 10 minutes, until slightly foamy. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 40 minutes.

2. Heat a griddle/nonstick frying pan to 300 F or over medium/medium high heat (water dropped on the griddle evaporates very quickly). Lightly grease with cooking spray. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased surface and cook until medium brown on the bottom. The top will look set and the sides will appear somewhat dry. The exact time depends on the temperature of your griddle and the size of your muffins, but expect this to take several minutes. Flip over and cook 2nd side until brown. Cool on wire rack. (Can be frozen and reheated.)

Makes 10-12 muffins.

(Adapted from Baking Bites)