Make these beautiful Homemade Muffin Splits with just a few simple ingredients. They are the perfect vehicle for poached eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce or whipped cream and your favourite jam.
I made this delicious bread recipe for Otaika Valley Free-range eggs and it was an absolute privilege to create. These pillowy muffin splits turn a homemade brunch in to one that outshines the cafe version. So, let's make some delicious kai (food). 🍳
More bread recipes:
My Roasted Garlic Knots have been a favourite with you all and in our whānau too. My No-knead Bread Buns or No-knead Focaccia Bread are also wonderful recipes to add to your repertoire.
Photography and videography by Sarah Henderson.
INGREDIENT TIPS FOR THESE HOMEMADE MUFFIN SPLITS:
- Milk: I use full fat milk in this recipe but swap it for the same amount of cold water if need be.
- Brown sugar: Use huka hāura (brown sugar), huka mā (white sugar), marahihi māpere (maple syrup) or mīere (honey) in the dough.
- Instant yeast: Use īhi horo (instant yeast) in this recipe for efficient rising. If you are using Surebake or breadmakers yeast, double the amount.
- High grade flour: Always use puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour) in bread recipes for the fluffiest result.
- Salt: I use Himalayan salt in my baking because it gives a subtle flavour. If you are using iodised table salt, half the quantity.
- Butter: I always use salted butter in my baking but unsalted is fine too. Replace the pata (butter) with 3 tablespoon of noni (oil).
EXPERT ADVICE:
Always give the yeast enough time to activate before adding the dry ingredients. The yeast will float to the top and it will be slightly foamy when it is ready.
Follow the kneading times as written. If you need some more tips, check out this How to Knead Dough post.
When hand kneading use the palm of your hands, not your fingers. The dough and hands get much stickier when worked like that, so work those palms in to the dough.
I prefer cooking these muffin splits in a cast iron pan or a heavy based pan because they distribute the heat much more efficiently. If you don't have one, no worries. Just watch them carefully and cook them for a few minutes less on the stove and bake for a few extra minutes in the oven.
Don't touch the mawhene (muffins) when they are cooking on the first side because they may deflate a little. Set the timer and cook the muffins for the full six minutes, then they can be flipped more regularly.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR these homemade muffin splits:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Activate the Yeast:
Add the wai mahana (warm water), miraka (milk) or wai makariri (cold water) and huka (sugar) in to a large bowl.
Whakaranuhia (stir to combine).
Once the huka (sugar) is dissolved, add the īhi (yeast) and then stir it again.
If you are using instant yeast, leave it for 5 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top.
If you are using surebake yeast, leave for 10 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top and is slightly foamy.
2. Add the Remaining Ingredients:
Add the puehu parāoa (flour), tote (salt) and the pata kūteretere (softened butter) or noni (oil).
Using a bread and butter knife, mix it all together until a dough forms.
Once the dough is roughly incorporated, poia te pokenga (knead the dough).
3. Knead the Dough:
If you are using a mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 9 minutes on low-medium speed.
If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes.
4. First Rise:
Once the dough is lovely and stretchy (see the video for reference), mould in to a ball and add it in to a clean bowl.
Cover with a tea towel or bowl cover.
Rise for 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours, the dough should double in size.
5. Roll out the Risen Dough:
Sprinkle a handful of semolina on to the bench and gently roll the risen dough to 2 -3 cm cm thick.
Cut out 8 x 7 - 9 cm circles. Gently pinch the scraps of dough together to make the last two - four muffins.
6. Second Rise:
Cover the cut out pieces of dough with a large tea towel and rise again for 45 minutes.
7. Preheat the Pan and the oven:
Five minutes before the rising time is done, heat one or two cast iron pans (or heavy based pots) over medium heat.
Preheat the oven to 140 °C bake setting or 130 °C fan bake setting.
8. Cook the Homemade Muffin Splits:
Gently add 4 of the risen muffins in a pan at a time and cook for 6 minutes on one side. No oil is needed. Don't touch them too much when they are cooking on the first side because they may deflate a little. Just set the timer and let them cook.
After 6 - 7 minutes of cooking, flip them over gently with a fork. If they are browning too fast at any stage, reduce the heat or remove the pan from the heat temporarily.
Once a batch is cooked, add them to a tray and then place them in the oven to keep them warm. Repeat the cooking process until all of them are cooked.
Split one of the mawhene (muffins) open. If it is still slightly uncooked in the centre, return them all to the oven to cook for another 8 - 10 minutes. This will depend on how thick yours are, the thicker the are the more likely they are to need a moment in the oven.
11. Serve the Homemade Muffin Splits:
Cut the muffins in half and either toast them or keep them as they are.
As an idea, spread each muffin with some hollandaise, kīnaki tōmato (tomato chutney), hēki parai (fried eggs), noni hirikakā (chilli oil), a drizzle of extra hollandaise and puna riki (spring onions).
Store the Homemade Muffin Splits:
These are at their best eaten immediately or cut open and toasted the next day.
I keep my homemade bread in a plastic bag for a day or so on the bench.
Beyond that I slice them open and store it in the freezer and toast them when needed.
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Parāoa (Bread) Recipe
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Homemade Muffin Spilts - Mawhene Ingarangi
Ingredients
The Dough - Te Pokenga
- ¾ C + 1 tablespoon (200 ml) wai mahana (warm water, from the tap)
- ⅓ C (80 ml) miraka (milk). This can be swapped for the same amount of cold water.
- 1 ½ tablespoon huka hāura (brown sugar)
- 2 teaspoon (6 g) īhi horo (instant yeast). This can be swapped for 4 teaspoon (16 g) Surebake yeast.
- 3 ¼ C (485 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
- 1 ½ tsp tote (salt, fine). I use Himalayan salt here, if you are using iodised table salt, half this amount.
- 45 g pata kūteretere (softened butter). This can be swapped for 45 g (3 tbsp) of neutral oil.
- Semolina for dusting (it gives a lovely crispy crust)
Instructions
Activate the Yeast:
- Add the wai mahana (warm water), miraka (milk) or wai makariri (cold water) and huka (sugar) in to a large bowl. Whakaranuhia (stir to combine).
- Once the huka (sugar) is dissolved, add the īhi (yeast) and then stir it again.
- If you are using instant yeast, leave it for 5 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top. If you are using surebake yeast, leave for 10 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top and is slightly foamy.
Add the Remaining Ingredients:
- Add the puehu parāoa (flour), tote (salt) and the pata kūteretere (softened butter) or noni (oil).
- Using a bread and butter knife, mix it all together until a dough forms. Once the dough is roughly incorporated, poia te pokenga (knead the dough).
Knead the Dough:
- If you are using a mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 9 minutes on low-medium speed.
- If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes.
Kneading Tip:
- Try not to add any extra flour when you are kneading. If it is super sticky, only add a tablespoons of flour at a time (up to 3 tbsp) and continue kneading.Remember, a slightly sticky dough is better than a stiff dough.
First Rise:
- Once the dough is lovely and stretchy (see the video for reference), mould in to a ball and add it in to a clean bowl. Cover with a tea towel or bowl cover.
- Rise for 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours, the dough should double in size.
Roll out the Risen Dough:
- Sprinkle a handful of semolina on to the bench and gently roll the risen dough to 2 - 3 cm cm thick.
- Cut out 8 x 7 - 9 cm circles.
- Gently pinch the scraps of dough together to make the last two - four muffins.Make sure these are the last ones to cook because these need a bit more time to rise after being handled so much.
- Generously sprinkle more semolina on top of each mawhene (muffin).
Second Rise:
- Cover the cut out pieces of dough with a large tea towel and rise again for 45 minutes.
- Five minutes before the rising time is done, heat the pan and the oven.
Preheat the Pan and the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 140 °C bake setting or 130 °C fan bake setting.
- Heat one or two cast iron pans (or heavy based pots) over medium heat.
Cook the Homemade Muffin Splits:
- Gently add 4 of the risen muffins in a pan at a time and cook for 6 minutes on one side. No oil is needed. Don't touch them too much when they are cooking on the first side because they may deflate a little. Just set the timer and let them cook.
- After 6 - 7 minutes of cooking, flip them over gently with a fork. If they are browning too fast at any stage, reduce the heat or remove the pan from the heat temporarily.
- Once a batch is cooked, add them to a tray and then place them in the oven to keep them warm.
- Repeat the cooking process until all of them are cooked.
- Split one of the mawhene (muffins) open. If it is still slightly uncooked in the centre, return them all to the oven to cook for another 8 - 10 minutes. This will depend on how thick yours are, the thicker the are the more likely they are to need a moment in the oven.
Serve the Homemade Muffin Splits:
- Cut the muffins in half and either toast them or keep them as they are.
- As an idea, spread each muffin with some hollandaise, kīnaki tōmato (tomato chutney), hēki parai (fried eggs), noni hirikakā (chilli oil), a drizzle of extra hollandaise and puna riki (spring onions).
Store the Homemade Muffin Splits:
- These are at their best eaten immediately or cut open and toasted the next day.
- I keep my homemade bread in a plastic bag for a day or so on the bench. Beyond that I slice them open and store it in the freezer and toast them when needed.
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