In a large mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, yeast and sugar. Whisk in warm milk until smooth; set aside until foamy (about 30 min.). In a small microwave-safe dish, combine butter and honey; microwave for a few sec. just until butter melts. Whisk honey-butter mixture and salt into the milk mixture. Stir in bread flour until incorporated; let stand at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 8-16 hrs. Sprinkle dough liberally with bread flour; transfer dough with floured hands to a floured work surface. Pat or gently roll dough about ½" thick, using more bread flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to the work surface. Use a 2 ½-3" biscuit cutter to cut muffins; transfer to another work surface sprinkled lightly with cornmeal. Gather and gently reroll the dough scraps; cut additional muffins and transfer to the cornmeal-dusted work surface. Sprinkle tops of muffins with cornmeal; cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 15 min. Place a baking sheet or pizza stone on the center oven rack; heat oven to 400°. On a stovetop heated to medium-low, cook muffins on a nonstick griddle until the tops and bottoms of muffins are browned and firm but edges are soft, flipping once (about 4 min. per side). Transfer muffins to the baking sheet in the oven for 5 min. to finish cooking. Remove from oven to cool for 2 min. Use a fork to poke holes along the equator of each muffin; pull top and bottom of muffins apart to split. Toast, if desired. Muffins keep at room temperature for 1-2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Adapted from a recipe by Nicole Rees from Fine Cooking magazine, issue 134.