Food Processor English Muffins With Raisins

Dissolve the yeast in warm water along with the brown sugar. If you're using a food processor, spin the flour, baking powder and salt together; then pour dissolved yeast and remaining water through the tube and spin until the dough starts to form a ball.

Add the raisins and spin another few seconds to mix them in. Remove and knead a few times by hand. Put the processed dough into a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Turn out onto floured surface and punch down thoroughly. Slap the dough into a thickness of 1/2-inch, then use a cutter or empty, clean tuna cans to cut rounds about 2-1/2-inches in diameter.

Heat a soapstone griddle or a heavy iron skillet until hot enough a drop of water will sizzle and disappear.

If using an iron skillet, brush with shortening. Transfer as many of the rounds as the baking surface will accommodate without touching, and bake, turning the heat down to moderate, for 5 minutes, at which point the bottoms will be lightly browned. Turn and bake another 5 minutes. Let cool on racks.

To serve, split and toast the muffins.