These were fantastic! I bought English Muffin rings because I'm a sucker, but I'm sure these could be made without them, they just wouldn't be shaped perfectly.
English Muffins
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baking Companion
Starter
1 1/2 cups (6 1.4 oz) unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup (6 oz) water
1/8 tsp instant yeast
Dough
1 3/4 cups (7 1/4 oz) unbleached all purpose flour
2 tbsp (1/2 oz) cornstarch
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 oz) sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp (1 oz) butter, melted
3/4 cup (6 oz) warm milk
To make the starter: Mix the flour, water, and yeast in a medium bowl to form a smooth batter. Cover and leave at room temperature for 4-16 hours. The starter should be puffy and full of holes when it's ready to use.
To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the starter and all the dough ingredients to form a smooth batter, for 5-8 minutes. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm spot until the batter has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
To bake muffins: Lightly grease 12 English muffin rings and place on a lightly greased baking sheet that has been sprinkled with a small amount of cornmeal. Stir the dough, the drop a scant 1/4 cup into each ring. Lightly sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover the pan and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until the muffins have grown by at least a third. Preheat the oven to 350. Place a greased baking sheet on top of the muffins, which keeps them flat on both sides. Bake the muffins for 25 minutes, or until they're lightly browned on both sides.