This Ube English Muffins recipe are made with Ube and no food coloring or artificial flavoring. Don't worry it's easier than you think.
Did you ever think, hmm I should go and make some English muffins? Hahaha probably not. But maybe you are curious?
I remember the first time I made them and I was amazed at how easy it was. It's kinda like making pancakes, but with bread dough instead of batter. I never knew that it's cooked on a skillet on the stove.
These are made with dehydrated Ube mixed into the dough. As you start making it, the dough will feel a bit too wet. Don't worry though. As the dough rests and rises the ube hydrates its self during that time.
I don't add in any food coloring or Ube flavoring. So it won't taste sweet. Just a little bit potatoey. If you ever had a real ube and ate it raw you know it's very starchy and not at all sweet.
You can read more about my quest for people to use real ube in these two articles. How to grow Ube in California and Ube Halaya Recipe With No Food Coloring.
Now let's get to making this bread.
Ingredients
Flour - Use bread flour for the higher gluten content.
Ube Powder - You will need one packet of Ube Powder or dehydrated Ube. They come in 4 oz packs at your local Filipino store. These are easier to find.
Yeast - Use dried yeast. It's easier if you buy the ones in individual packets. They are about 1 teaspoon in weight.
Sugar - The yeast needs something to feast on so you will need some sugar.
Water - Make sure it is warm, but not hot. Should be at your body temperature.
Milk - Again use warm milk, but not hot.
Oil - I used olive oil, but you can use any vegetable oil you have on hand.
Cornmeal - This is used to coat the Ube English muffins.
How To Make Ube English Muffins
In a mixer bowl place the 3 ¼ cups of flour, ube powder, 2 tablespoons of sugar and yeast.
Whisk until combined.
In a large cup or bowl mix together the ¼ cup warm milk, 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons oil. Add this mixture to the flour mixture.
Using a dough hook mix the dough until it looks like a shaggy mess. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rest for 10 minutes. This helps relax the gluten and absorbs all the liquid you just mixed in.
Using the dough hook mix the Ube English Muffins dough for 10-15 minutes until the dough starts pulling away from the bowl.
Oil a large bowl and form the dough into ball shape with your hands. It's going to be a very moist dough, but don't worry the Ube Powder will absorb all that moisture while proofing.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and store in a warm area in your kitchen. Leave to proof and rise for 1 hour.
Meanwhile prepare two baking pans and line them with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Spread about ¼ cup of cornmeal all over each.
After 1 hour your dough should of doubled in size.
Take off the plastic wrap and punch down with clean hands.
Divide the dough into 16 balls. You can weigh them if you wish to make them all the same size.
Using the palm of your hand flatten them into a puffy disk.
Transfer each disk to your prepared baking pans and cover with more cornmeal. Make sure the Ube English Muffins are at least 2 inches apart to accommodate the second proofing of the dough.
Loosely cover with plastic wrap and cover with a kitchen towel. Leave to rise for 1 hour.
The dough should of doubled in size and be super puffy.
Brush your skillet with oil and heat it up to medium/low heat.
Place 3-4 Ube English Muffins in your skillet. Cook the first side for 4 minutes.
Then flip over to the other side and cook for a further 4 minutes. Repeat for the other doughs.
How To Serve Your Ube English Muffins
Now the best part! You have fresh homemade Ube English Muffins. What to do with them?
First you have to know how to properly cut them in half. Don't use a knife. Use a fork and poke the fork in the middle of the side of the muffins. Keep going around until you have made a full circle. Then use your hands to pull it apart. It's the best way to get the nooks and crannies for the melted butter to pool in.
Well you can simply have them with some butter and jam of course.
Or you can do something fancy like make these Filipino Style Sloppy Joe Made with Ube English Muffins.
Can also make Filipino inspired Eggs Benedict or even a Filipino breakfast sandwich. Oh so many options!!
How To Store Ube English Muffins
They are really best eaten right away. However if you can't go through it all, you can keep some on the counter for a day or two max.
After that it's best to wrap them up and store them in the freezer until you have a craving for Ube English Muffins.
To defrost place on the counter top for an hour and then cut in half and toast as normal.
For more Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox. And if you make this recipe. I would love to see it. Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.
Equipment
- 2 Baking Pans
- 2 Silicon Mats or Parchment Paper
- Plastic Wrap
- 2 Clean kitchen towels
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ Cup Bread Flour
- 4 Oz Ube Powder Pack
- 1 Teaspoon Active Yeast (or 1 packet)
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 Cups Warm Water
- ¼ Cup Warm Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- ½ Cup Cornmeal
Instructions
- In a mixer bowl place the 3¼ cups of flour, ube powder, 2 tablespoons of sugar and yeast. Whisk until combined.
- In a large cup or bowl mix together the ¼ cup warm milk, 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons oil. Add this mixture to the flour mixture.
- Using a dough hook mix the dough until it looks like a shaggy mess. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rest for 10 minutes. This helps relax the gluten and absorbs all the liquid you just mixed in.
- Using the dough hook mix the Ube English Muffins dough for 10-15 minutes until the dough starts pulling away from the bowl.
- Oil a large bowl and form the dough into ball shape with your hands. It's going to be a very moist dough, but don't worry the Ube Powder will absorb all that moisture while proofing.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and store in a warm area in your kitchen. Leave to proof and rise for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile prepare two baking pans and line them with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Spread about ¼ cup of cornmeal all over each.
- After 1 hour your dough should have doubled in size. Take off the plastic wrap and punch down with clean hands.
- Divide the dough into 16 balls. You can weigh them if you wish to make them all the same size. We are not that perfect here so approximate is okay.
- Using the palm of your hand flatten them into a puffy disk. Transfer each disk to your prepared baking pans and cover with more cornmeal. Make sure the Ube English Muffins are at least 2 inches apart to accommodate the second proofing of the dough.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and cover with a kitchen towel. Leave to rise for 1 hour. The dough should of doubled in size and be super puffy.
- Now time to cook these Ube English Muffins! Brush your skillet with oil and heat it up to medium/low heat.
- Place 3-4 Ube English Muffins in your skillet. Cook the first side for 4 minutes.
- Then flip over to the other side and cook for a further 4 minutes. Repeat for the other doughs. You may need to turn down the heat as you cook the rest as the skillet will start to get super hot.
- To serve cut in half and have with butter and jam.
- Store a few on the counter top for maximum 2 days. Store the rest in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter top and toast.
Leave a Reply