Proof the yeast by combining it in a bowl with the water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir these together, then set aside for 5 minutes until the yeast is foamy.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the proofed yeast with the milk, remaining sugar, beaten egg, butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth, then add the remaining flour and mix with the dough hook for 4-5 minutes on medium speed to create a smooth but very sticky dough. It may be tempting to add more flour, but the dough is supposed to be very sticky, which helps create the nooks and crannies that english muffins are famous for.

Scrape the dough into a large, greased bowl and cover with piece of plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Set in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a bench scraper to divide it in half, then in half again, then once more until you have 16 even-sized pieces of dough. Shape into balls (you may need to dust your hands with a little flour so they don't stick), then pat into discs and arrange on two baking sheets sprinkled with the cornmeal so the english muffins don't stick to the pan. Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with additional cornmeal, then cover loosely with a clean dishcloth and let rise for 30-60 minutes until puffy.

Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Split open by poking the tines of a fork around english muffin rather than cutting open with a knife, then toast in a toasted until lightly browned.