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In a black cast iron pan is four homemade muffin splits cooking. The tops of a deep golden colour and in the background is a tray lined with brown baking paper and unbaked muffin split dough on it.
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Homemade Muffin Spilts - Mawhene Ingarangi

These homemade muffin splits are pillowy soft bread muffins cooked in a pan. Serve cafe style brunches from the comfort of your own home.
Course Baking
Cuisine Bread
Keyword english muffin and hollandaise sauce, english muffin recipe, homemade eggs benedict, homemade eggs benedict recipe nz, homemade muffin splits, muffin split recipe, muffin split recipe nz
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Rise Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings 11 Muffin Splits

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 my homemade hollandaise sauce, 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.