Portuguese Muffins and Korean Walnut Bread

King Arthur Flour catalog sells Portuguese muffins mix. I've never heard of these flat bread before. They are similar to English muffins but a bit sweeter and don't have "nooks and crannies". The Portuguese call them Bolo Lêvedo. They are cooked just like English muffins, in a griddle or cast iron skillet on a stove top, not in the oven. KAF recipe bakes them in the oven.

I adapted the Portuguese Muffins recipe from King Arthur Flour and although tasty, I thought the bread is not sweet enough. The dough could use a bit more sugar, perhaps increase to half a cup.

I used a third of the dough to make the Korean style sweet walnut buns that I've seen in Korean dramas. I've bookmarked one recipe and to my surprise the KAF and the Korean recipes are almost identical. The buns/muffins are shaped and baked exactly the same way. The difference is the Korean "muffins" dough is mixed with chopped walnuts after the first fermentation and are filled with either sweetened cream cheese or sweet azuki bean paste. I didn't fill the Korean walnut muffins but had it with unsweetened whipped cream cheese.

Portuguese Muffins
1 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons soft butter

3½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

• Scald the milk then pour it over the butter; cool to lukewarm.
• In the bowl of an standing mixer, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients, and with a dough hook attached, mix on low for 2 minutes. Knead on medium speed until smooth, soft, and no longer sticky, about 6 minutes. 
• Transfer dough into a lightly greased container, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 90 minutes. The dough will be puffy.
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled work surface; divide into ten 3¼-ounce pieces. Form into tight balls, and let rest, covered, for about 30 minutes. 
• Flatten the balls into 4 to 5 inch and about ½-inch thick circles.
• Place the muffins on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1½ inches between them. Cover muffins with parchment paper. Place a second baking sheet atop the muffins in order to keep their texture fairly dense as they rise. 
• Let rise for 45 minutes, or until they’re about ¾-inch thick.
• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Bake muffins for 18 to 22 minutes, leaving the second baking sheet in place to keep the muffins flat. Remove the top baking sheet, and test to make sure the muffins are done; they’ll be golden brown on the top and bottom, with paler sides. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Korean Walnut Buns/Muffins

1 Portuguese Muffins recipe

1 cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup cream cheese mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar, optional

sweet azuki bean paste, optional

12 whole walnuts for topping

• Prepare dough and let rise for 90 minutes. 
• Knead in chopped walnuts then divide into 12 pieces. Shape into rounds, place on a baking pan 1½ inches apart, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 
• Or flatten dough pieces, fill with a tablespoon of sweetened cream cheese or sweet azuki bean paste, pinch edges to close, place seam side down on baking pan. Let rise as above, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Press a whole walnut on top of each bun. Cover with parchment paper and place a second baking sheet atop the buns. Bake in preheated 400° F oven for 25 minutes or until buns are golden.