Who doesn't love English muffins? Homemade sourdough ones seem even more scrumptious, and some of the taste-testers here had to admit that these crusty, chewy and tangy gems were the best they'd ever eaten. Quite a compliment, we confess, so we hope you and your family and friends agree. Especially if you've never made English muffins before, go for it; they're a cinch and great fun because you can watch them rise before your very eyes as they cook. With these you might even be able to resist the urge for slathered-on butter. Wow! (When else does that happen?) These freeze really well, too.

2 tablespoons (7/8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 cups (16 ounces) warm water, 105° to 110°F
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup sourdough starter
7 to 8 cups (1 pound, 13 3/4 ounces to 2 pounds 2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) non-fat dry milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid), optional
approximately 2 tablespoons cornmeal or semolina

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Stir in and dissolve the yeast, and then mix in the sourdough starter and 1 cup of flour. Let this sit for a few minutes, until the mixture begins to bubble.

Add the dry milk, butter, salt, sour salt (if you're using it; it's a nice flavor-booster) and a second cup of flour, and beat well. Add 5 to 6 cups of flour, one cup at a time, to form a dough that holds together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until it's smooth and springy, but slightly on the slack side, about 8 minutes. Add flour only as necessary to prevent sticking. Clean out and grease your bowl and place the dough in the greased bowl, turning it so that a thin film of oil coats all sides. If you want muffins with just a hint of sourness, cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel, let it stand until it has doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, and proceed from * below. If you want muffins with a more pronounced sour flavor, be sure to add the sour salt to the dough for extra tang; then cover the finished dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it sit overnight, or up to 24 hours, in a cool place.

* When the dough has risen your chosen length of time, punch it down, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, cover it and let it sit for a few minutes (to relax the gluten). Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each piece out separately to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 3-inch rounds; re-roll and cut any remaining scraps. Place the rounds, evenly spaced, onto cornmeal- or semolina-sprinkled baking sheets (12 or 13 rounds per sheet), sprinkle them with additional cornmeal or semolina, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rise until light and puffy, about 1 hour.

Carefully transfer the rounds (as many as a time that will fit without crowding) right-side up to a large electric griddle preheated to 350°F, or to an ungreased frying pan that has been preheated over medium heat. Cook them for about 10 to 12 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a muffin registers 190°F. Remove them from the griddle and cool on a rack. Note: If you find you're having trouble getting the muffins to cook all the way through on a griddle, cook on both sides as directed, then finish in a 350°F oven.

Yield: twenty-five 3-inch English muffins.

Nutrition information per serving (one whole 3-inch muffin, 76g): 171 cal, 2.3g fat, 5g protein, 32g complex carbohydrates, 1g sugar, 1g dietary fiber, 6mg cholesterol, 270mg sodium, 100mg potassium, 31RE vitamin A, 2mg iron, 102mg calcium, 64mg phosphorus.