| 1 | Sponge: butter a 4 quart mixing bowl. |
| 2 | In a small bowl, combine warm water and pinch sugar. |
| 3 | Sprinkle yeast over water mixture. |
| 4 | Let stand until yeast dissolves and bubbles. |
| 5 | While yeast is dissolving, in buttered bowl combine warm milk, butter and honey. |
| 6 | Stir until butter is almost melted. |
| 7 | Stir in 2 ?cups flour and dissolved yeast. |
| 8 | Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. |
| 9 | Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. |
| 10 | Dough: butter a 4 quart bowl. |
| 11 | Stir salt into bread mixture. |
| 12 | Stir in enough of remaining flour with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball. |
| 13 | Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. |
| 14 | Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to keep dough from sticking. |
| 15 | Place dough in buttered bowl, turning once to butter surface. |
| 16 | Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 45 minutes. |
| 17 | Punch dough down. |
| 18 | Divide dough in half. |
| 19 | Sprinkle board generously with cornmeal. |
| 20 | Turn dough out on board. |
| 21 | Sprinkle cornmeal over top of dough. |
| 22 | Gently roll half the dough at a time ? thick. |
| 23 | Cut with a floured biscuit cutter into 3" rounds. |
| 24 | Repeat with remaining half of dough. |
| 25 | Knead, reroll, and cut dough scraps once, if desired. |
| 26 | Arrange dough rounds on ungreased baking sheets 2" apart. |
| 27 | Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 30 minutes. |
| 28 | Heat a lightly oiled, nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. |
| 29 | Lift some of the dough rounds with a spatula onto griddle. |
| 30 | Cook for 2 minutes on each side. |
| 31 | Reduce heat to medium. |
| 32 | Cook, turning every few minutes, 13-18 minutes until done in center. |
| 33 | Cool on racks. |
| 34 | Repeat cooking remaining muffins. |
| 35 | Split muffins in half crosswise with the tines of a fork. |
