This recipe makes the things that are called English muffins in the U.S. and would probably be called muffins in England. The sweet things that Americans call muffins would be called American or sweet muffins in England.
I suggest getting 12 muffin rings about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and a number 40 ice cream scoop (1/40 of a quart) for portion control. Scoop designations are not exactly equivalent between manufacturers so you will need to experiment to see how full the scoops to be. You want to divide the battery evenly among the 12 rings.
This assembly method is much easier to use than trying to scoop into rings sitting on a hot griddle, where the first muffins need to be turned over before the last rings are filled.
English Muffins
18 oz. Bread flour.
1 t yeast
2.25 oz. Non-fat dry milk
½ oz Honey
15 oz. Room-temperature, filtered water
¾ oz. Lard, suet or vegetable shortening
Scant 2t Kosher Salt (See: salt notes )
Cornmeal or polenta.
Mix the flour, yeast and dry milk in a stand mixer bowl. Mix with the paddle attachment. Heat the water, honey and fat in a microwave to melt the fat and to heat the water to about 115º. Check the temperature after about 50 seconds. It will likely take longer, but the time depends on the strength of your microwave oven and the temperature of the room. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and beat for 3 full minutes to activate the gluten and to make a batter. You should scrape down the bowl as needed. Leave the paddle in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to two days for a stronger flavor.
In the morning, take the batter out of the refrigerator. Add the salt. Beat for 3 more minutes. Grease the insides of 12 muffin rings, about 3 ½” in diameter to facilitate removal later. Place the rings onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Sprinkle the bottom with a little corn meal or polenta. Divide the batter among the rings and sprinkle a little more corn meal on top. Cover them with a second piece of parchment or a second mat and allow them to rise at room temperature for about an hour. The time depends on the temperature in the kitchen. Put a stone in the oven and preheat to 400º. Cover the top with a second sheet pan and bake the muffins for 20 minutes. Remove the top sheet and parchment. Raise the oven temperature about 25º. Continue baking for about 8 – 10 minutes, turning them over halfway through the time. Remove the rings. This might require a knife or a small offset spatula. The internal temperature should be about 204º – 208º. If the tops need more browning or they need more baking, put them directly onto the stone until done with the paler side up. If you have a convection oven, turn the fan on now. Move them to a rack to cool.