Why is the top of the english muffin always smaller?

Question

i asked my mom and she said it would be an interesting questiion to ask so yea why arent the top and bottom of hte english muffin the same size

Answer 1

All of mine in the fridge are the same size - top and bottom.

Answer 2

It's the woman

Answer 3

English Muffins are cooked in special baking pans and are almost fried in the oven.  It is a very wet and sticky batter and it doesn't have the same amount of strength as a bread dough.  Unlike bread dough the dough rises almost all the way BEFORE it is put into the pans. The dough goes into the pans with the pans already heated and then they go into a big conveyor oven to get the tops cooked.  The bottom of the pans are curved a bit to help get the muffins out easier.

I worked in an industrial bakery where we made them.

When they were first invented, they were cooked on a griddle in 3" greased rings and flipped over to cook the top.  Those are pretty even top and bottom.

There is a Good Eats Show on how to make them at home and Alton Brown uses tuna cans to make the rings.

Answer 4

gravity - it starts as batter which is soft enough to sag and settle to bottom.  Even though it rises as it cooks gravity is still stronger.