ingredients
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 level teaspoon caster sugar
1 1/2 level teaspoons dried yeast
1 cup whole wheat flour, warmed
1 cup bread flour, warmed
1/4 level teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
method
1. Pour half the water into a bowl and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Whisk in the yeast, cover and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes until frothy.
2. Sift both flours and the salt into a bowl, tipping in the bran left in the sieve. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Pour in the yeast liquid, oil and remaining water, and mix to form a very soft dough, adding a little more water if necessary. The softer the dough, the more difficult it is to handle, but the better the muffins it makes.
3. Knead the dough on a well-floured surface until even-textured and springy. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp teacloth and put in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. Divide it into 10 equal pieces and shape each into a ball by rolling under the cupped palm of your hand. Heavily flour a board, place the balls of dough on it and sift flour over them. Cover loosely with a clean teacloth and put in a warm place to rise for about 40 minutes, until the dough keeps a slight dent if pressed lightly with a fingertip.
5. Heat a griddle, or a heavy-based frying pan, and oil it lightly. Lift in half the muffins and cook over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn the muffins over and cook the other side for 6 - 7 minutes. Remove from the griddle and fold in a napkin to keep warm while you cook the rest.
Serve the muffins warm with fromage frais and fresh fruit, or with a savoury spread.
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more information
Weigh out the flours in advance into warm bowls, cover and put on the boiler or in the airing cupboard for 30 minutes. This
helps to keep this very soft mixture warm and to start the rising more quickly.
