I first made this bread in 1995 from a magazine clipping. In my binder, I had it marked “excellent”. Note that there is no oil or butter in the bread, that it requires no hand-kneading and that it only needs one rising. This is an easy, fast bread to make and gives good results. Bread is delicious fresh from the oven with butter or toasted in the morning for a quick, tasty breakfast.
NO-KNEAD ENGLISH MUFFIN LOAF
2 Tblsp. fast acting dry yeast*
6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
¼ tsp baking soda
2 Tblsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp salt
½ cup water
2 cups milk
Cornmeal for sprinkling in pans
*I use Fleischmann’s Instant Dry Yeast. I buy it in bulk (454 g) and the package says that it is made in Canada. I understand it is packaged under the name “Instant Dry” for distribution through stores like Sam’s, “Rapid Rise” in the U.S. and “Quick Rise” in Canada. The “Instant Dry”, “Rapid Rise” or “Quick Rise” yeast is especially formulated to be used mixed with the dry ingredients and can withstand the hot water.
Grease one 9-inch loaf pan and a pie tin for rolls OR two 7-½ inch loaf pans and one mini-loaf pan. Place a teaspoon of cornmeal in each pan and tip/swirl to have cornmeal cover bottom and sides of pans.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, place yeast, 2 cups all-purpose flour, soda, sugar and salt. Beat to blend dry ingredients.
Heat water and milk to 130 degrees F.
Add heated ingredients to dry mixture in bowl. With paddle beater, mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Remove paddle beater and insert dough hook. Continue to beat for 6-1/2 minutes, adding 4 cups of flour a little at a time. Dough will be very stiff and sticky.
Divide dough among the pans to form very craggy, rustic loaves. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place that is free of drafts (I put mine on top of my microwave which sets under a cabinet).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake loaves for approximately 20 minutes for the mini-loaf, 15 minutes for rolls, 30 minutes for the 7-½ inch loaves and 45 minutes for the 9-inch loaves or until bread is golden brown and has a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom – 190 degrees on a bread thermometer.
Cover with a piece of foil if top is browning too fast. Remove bread from pans immediately, cover with a napkin or a tea towel and let cool on a wire rack.
Yield: One 9-inch loaf and rolls (number depends on size) OR two 7-½ inch loaves plus one mini-loaf
LILLIAN'S CUPBOARD 
A friend of mine has a similar recipe… This looks good and I can’t wait to try it!
The minute I saw no-knead, I was interested! I’m putting this in my file for when I can afford that counter-top Kitchen Aid I want. My little one just can’t handle the stiff, sticky dough, and neither can my arm these days. Thanks for sharing this!
Ha! I was looking for a quick bread to make for dinner tonight and that hit’s the spot:). Thank you:)
Oh THANK YOU, Lillian! We LOVE English Muffin bread from our local grocery store & I imagine that making it at home, it will be even better. My ancestors owned a bakery, so I come from a long line of bakers, but nobody in the family shared THIS recipe. I can’t wait to try it!!!
Grateful Hugs,
Rett
forgot to ask…why do you cover it with a towel when it comes out of the oven???
Please answer here & I will click to get the follow-up comments in my email, as maybe others would like to know, too.
Retta, I suppose the reason I always cover the bread while it’s cooling is because my mother did. She would take a cloth dipped in melted butter and brush the tops of the loaves and then cover with a towel. She said it made the crust softer. I omit the butter but do use a cover. It’s funny the things we do because our mothers did it that way – never thought about it.
Lillian
Aw, Lillian, this looks yummy! I can’t wait to try it.
I love English Muffins. They’re my favorite morning quick go to, toasted with apricot preserves or sometimes cinnamon & sugar. This bread sounds really good. I must try it.
On a different subject, I never buy unsalted butter, but a recipe is calling for 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 Tsp. salt. If I’m using salted butter, do I omit all the salt or just cut back? Thanks Lillian.
I never buy unsalted butter and I just cut back a bit on the salt in the recipe.
Lillian
Thanks Lillian, I knew you’d have an answer for me.
See, I told you on my site that I had to stick around for more of your good food!!
Oh, that looks good! I love toasted English muffins with butter and jam. Will have to try these for sure. Thanks for sharing…
This really looks good. I am a fan of a denser break and can’t wait to try this.
I’m going to show this to my grandson (age 18). He asked me to help him make bread last week and it turned out pretty good, but not exactly what he wanted. Maybe this will be a good recipe for him!
I make this bread often. My recipe is just a little different because I only make a loaf at a time. It is very good and easy to do. My family loves it. It never sticks around for more then a few hours. They are little pigs. I should try yours for 2 loafs. It might be some left over.
I have a recipe like this, cut from an American magazine, in the ’80’s (before the internet) I used to clip recipes from Bon Appetit, and the like and stick them into a little cloth covered book. I was intrigued by the muffin bread recipe, so exotic and American! I don’t know if I actually ever made it but I should really try your recipe. It must be a sign, to see it again, all these years later 🙂