Muffin Recipes Using Basic Techniques

What makes good muffin recipes? Did you ever think “What really is a muffin”? Are muffin recipes the same as cupcake recipes? Like cupcakes, muffins can be made into a variety of sizes; the mini, regular or jumbo.

The biggest difference a muffin has from a cupcake is the sweetness. A muffin should not be very sweet and does not have icing, but can have a crumb topping. Because of the lack of sugar in them, they make a great breakfast idea or a replacement for a sweet bread recipe to serve with a meal.

Good muffins are symmetrical in shape, with straight sides and a slightly rounded top. The top should never be peaked or cracked. The crust is a rich golden brown with a pebbly texture. The grain is uniform with a slight to medium coarseness depending on the technique which is used in the making; muffin technique or cake technique. These techniques are in the mixing which is first and foremost the success secret of muffin making.

In the “muffin technique” the batter must be stirred, never beaten and only until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. This technique is usually used for plain muffins when no sugar or very little is used and gives a slightly coarse and open muffin texture. When the ingredients are moist, the batter will appear rough and lumpy and will break easily when lifted with the spoon. The small lumps will take care of themselves during the baking. When the mixture is over stirred or beaten, everything changes. The baked muffin will be small with peaked tops. The texture even might appear to be tough and rubbery and could have long holes and tunnels. Immediately after mixing, the batter should be spooned into the muffin pans and baked to avoid the loss any leavening action.

PLAIN MUFFINS (Muffin technique)

• 2 Cups flour
• 3 Teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ Teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Beaten egg
• 1 Cup milk
• 3 Tablespoons melted shortening
• ½ Cup crisp chopped bacon OPTIONAL
• ½ Cup grated cheese OPTIONAL
• ½ Cup raisins OPTIONAL
• ½ Cup drained whole kernel corn OPTIONAL

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Grease muffin tins.

Sift the flour; measure; add the baking powder, salt and sugar and sift again. Combine the egg, milk and shortening. Pour into the flour mixture and stir just until all ingredients are moist. Fill the muffin pans 2/3 full and bake 20 to 25 minutes.

It is a matter of personal preference when making muffin recipes, which technique of mixing is used. The cake method is usually used for rich tea muffins, containing a larger proportion of shortening and sugar. For a finer grained cakelike texture use firm shortening and continue beating as the eggs and other ingredients are added.

BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE (Cake technique)

• 4 Tablespoons soft shortening
• 4 Teaspoons baking powder
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• 1 Egg
• 2 Cups flour
• ½ Cup blueberries
• ¾ to 1 Cup milk

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Grease muffin tins.

Combine the shortening, sugar and eggs and blend together.
Mix 1 ½ cups of flour, baking powder and salt together and alternately with the milk to the shortening mixture while mixing. Toss the berries lightly with the remaining ½ cup of flour and stir gently into the batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until test done.

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