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Warm Muffins Make Any Day Special

by Pat Sinclair

Baking is back in these stressful times, and breakfast quick breads such as muffins are on everybody’s list of comfort foods. Nothing says “Good Morning” better than the spicy scent of cinnamon or the familiar smell of bacon. Muffins are inexpensive and one of the easiest breakfast breads to bake. In addition to being economical, muffins prepared at home are usually healthier because they contain less fat and sugar than the mega-muffins sold at supermarkets. By following some simple rules you can serve tender warm muffins topped with sweet creamy butter at breakfast or your next brunch.

When you are baking, it is essential to measure carefully and use fresh ingredients. For tender muffins with an even texture, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients and mix only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Any lumps disappear in baking. Stirring by hand, rather than use an electric mixer, forms just enough gluten to prevent muffins from crumbling. Too much stirring results in muffins with peaked tops and large tunnels inside.

Muffins are called quick breads because they are leavened with baking powder or baking soda or both. Muffins with baking powder can be prepared ahead and refrigerated overnight because baking powder reacts twice- once when liquid is added and again with heat.  Allow the refrigerated muffins to sit at room temperature while the oven heats.  If you prefer, you can measure out the dry ingredients the night before. Assemble the wet ingredients and combine the wet and dry ingredients while your oven heats. Either way, you will have hot-from-the-oven muffins to start the day.

Muffin batters can be baked in a variety of sizes, from mini-muffins to jumbo muffins. If you use a different size pan than the recipe specifies you will need to adjust the baking time. Most muffin recipes make 12 muffins, 24 mini-muffins or 6 jumbos. 

Spray the muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or grease with shortening. Muffin liners make clean-up easy but muffins tend to stick to the paper and are hard to remove. Cool muffins in the pan about 1 to 2 minutes before removing. Muffins left in the pan longer will have soggy bottoms. If your pans are dark, check your muffins a couple of minutes early because dark pans make the muffins brown faster.

Muffins taste best on the day they are baked but they also freeze well and are easily be reheated in the microwave. Cool the muffins to room temperature and wrap tightly before freezing.  

For a special occasions add a glaze to your muffins. Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 2 teaspoons milk or orange juice and stir until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the warm muffins. You can also add about 1/2 cup chopped nuts, dried fruits or chocolate chips to basic muffins. If the your recipe already has fruit, try substituting other fresh fruits such as raspberries or strawberries for something new. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with coarse sugar or sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar before baking to add a little sparkle.


Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Serve these muffins warm from the oven with butter. I prefer Vietnamese cinnamon for its rich spicy flavor.

Makes 12 muffins

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons cold butter

Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten

Heat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack in middle. Lightly spray 12 cups in a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with shortening.

Streusel Topping

Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.

Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour by pushing ingredients out toward sides of bowl.

Combine the milk, melted butter, vanilla, and egg in a medium bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, and stir only until the flour is moistened, even though the batter is not smooth. Scrape down the sides of bowl.

Divide the batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of streusel over each muffin.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a couple of muffins comes out dry. Cool slightly. Run a small metal spatula around edge of each muffin to loosen it, and lift gently from the pan. Serve muffins warm with butter or jam.


Everyday Blueberry Muffins

After you prepare this basic blueberry muffin recipe, try substituting chopped apples or chopped strawberries for the blueberries. The muffin remains the same—only the fruit changes. For blueberry muffins, I use butter as the fat because it adds so much flavor.

Makes 12 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fresh blueberries

Heat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack in middle. Spray 12 cups of a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with shortening.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in center of the flour by pushing ingredients out toward sides of bowl.

Combine the milk, melted butter, vanilla, and egg in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, and stir only until the flour is moistened, even though the batter is not smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Fold in blueberries, being careful not to break them or the batter will become blue.

Divide batter into the sprayed muffin cups, using a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each cup. Cups are usually filled about 3/4 full.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of a couple of muffins comes out dry. Cool slightly and remove from pan.

Run a small metal spatula around edge of each muffin to loosen them and lift gently from the pan. Serve muffins warm with butter or jam and wait for the compliments!


Bacon and Cheddar Muffins

Use sharp Cheddar cheese for these muffins because it adds the most flavor.

Makes 12 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon (about 5 slices)
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack in middle. Spray 12 cups of a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with shortening.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in center of the flour by pushing ingredients out toward sides of bowl.

Combine the milk, melted butter, vanilla, and egg in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, and stir only until the flour is moistened, even though the batter is not smooth. Scrape down the sides of bowl.

Stir in the bacon and shredded cheese. Divide the batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. (If you prefer larger muffins, divide the batter into 10 muffin cups. Place a little water in the empty cups for even baking.)

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a couple of muffins comes out dry. Cool 1 minute and remove from the pan. Serve warm.

 

©Pat Sinclair (2009) www.PatCooksandBakes.blogspot.com

Baking Basics and Beyond by Pat Sinclair
©Surrey Books, 2006

 




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