Crusty English Muffin Loaf

1. Prepare Loaf Pans

Grease two 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pans and dust them with cornmeal, ensuring an even coating to prevent sticking and add a delightful crunch to the crust.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Mix these dry ingredients well to evenly distribute the yeast and baking soda.

3. Add Hot Milk

Stir in the hot milk, which should be heated to 120 degrees. Stir the mixture for about 1 minute until it forms a smooth, sticky dough.

4. First Rise

Cover the bowl with greased plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until it becomes bubbly and has doubled in size.

5. Prepare Dough for Second Rise

Once the dough has risen, stir it down and divide it evenly between the prepared loaf pans. Use a greased rubber spatula to push the dough into the corners of the pans, ensuring an even distribution.

6. Second Rise

Cover the pans with greased plastic wrap again and let the dough rise for another 30 minutes, or until it reaches the edges of the pans.

7. Preheat Oven

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

8. Bake Loaves

When the dough has finished rising, discard the plastic wrap and transfer the pans to the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, rotating and switching the pans halfway through to ensure even baking. The bread is done when it is well browned and registers 200 degrees internally.

9. Cool Loaves

Turn the bread out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely, which should take about 1 hour.

10. Slice and Serve

Finally, slice the cooled loaf, toast it to your liking, and serve.