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Muffins are a mainstay around our house. They are as nourishing as they are good to eat. They are quicker and easier to make than cookies and usually contain much less sugar and fat. We usually eat them for breakfast but like them with any meal. They work well for snacks and desserts as well. Extras can be frozen and heated in the microwave for hot muffins anytime.

The Muffin Method of Mixing

There are two major makeup or mixing methods for quick breads and muffins*the muffin method and the creaming method. In the muffin method, the liquids and the dry ingredients are mixed separately and then stirred together until just combined. In the recipe below, we will include tips and instructions to make the perfect muffins using the muffin method.

To make muffins using the muffin method, choose a favorite muffin recipe that does not call for the creaming of sugar into the fat. (Look for a recipe that calls for oil or melted butter or, if you prefer, you can use one of our muffin mixes.)
To use the muffin method, whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl to make sure that the baking powder and other ingredients are well combined. Set aside.

Whisk the egg in a separate bowl with a French whip or fork. Add the other liquids and whisk again. (Some recipes will instruct you to stir the sugar and salt into the liquids, rather than add them to the dry ingredients, to make sure that they dissolve completely and are evenly dispersed. We prefer to do this with most of our muffin recipes.)

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid all at once. Stir with a spatula until mixed well and moistened*some lumps will remain. Do not over stir*stirring too much will develop the gluten in the flour and the muffin will not be tender and crumbly. To avoid over stirring, we prefer a spatula or a large spoon to an electric mixer.

If you are using fruit in your muffins, fold them in gently at the end of your mixing with a minimum number of folds. Fruit crushes easily in the thick batter and the juice will stain the batter.

The *creaming method* for mixing

For the creaming method, cream the butter or shortening and sugars together. (The sugar crystals will cut through the fat creating tiny pockets of air. In the heat of the oven, the pockets will expand and help lift the muffins.) After creaming, add the eggs and beat until the mixture turns a lighter color and is soft. Then add the flour followed by the liquids in three or four additions mixing after each. You always start with the flour. Oil and water don*t mix and adding the liquid to the creamed mixture will often create an unattractive, curdled mess. The flour will act as a buffer between the oils and water in the liquids

Making High-Domed Muffins

In preparation, grease the muffin tins. We like spray oil from an aerosol can or a spray genie to reach the corners of the tins. Be sure to cover the top edges where the muffins will flow when baking. (You can use paper liners but since the batter adheres slightly to the paper, you will have slightly less volume to the muffins.)

Temperature is one of the secrets to those nicely domed muffins that you find in the better bake shops. Commercial ovens use precise heat settings and timers. In the kitchen, we can approximate those results by:

* Making sure that the oven is completely heated before baking. We like to let the oven sit at full temperature for at least ten minutes before baking so that the heat is well-absorbed into the structure of the oven.

* Closing the door as quickly as possible to keep the heat trapped.

* Setting the temperature at a higher initial setting and lowering the temperature later. We almost always start out at 425 degrees. The higher heat creates a burst of steam that lifts the batter. (We have experimented with turning the heat down immediately and waiting as long as six or eight minutes before turning it down. It doesn*t seem to matter. Just test your muffins to make sure they are done.)

* Placing the muffins in the upper third of the oven where it tends to be hotter and the heat more constant.

More Tips for Great Muffins

* Always measure flour precisely, using a scale if you have one. Muffin recipes are sensitive to the ratio of flour to liquid. Too much flour and the muffin will not rise properly and will be dry. Too little flour and the muffin will flow over the edges of the muffin cup rather than dome nicely. If you need to fine tune your favorite recipe, change the flour by a tablespoon or two.

* To make cake-like muffins, use a lower protein flour*cake or pastry flour. Higher protein all purpose or bread flours will make a muffin that is chewier and more bread-like.

* Fill the muffin tins with a large spoon or ice cream scoop. Make sure that the muffin tins are evenly filled so that they bake evenly. Most recipes direct that the muffin tins be filled 2/3's full to allow room for expansion. If you want high-domed muffins where the domes are higher than the body of the muffins, fill them fuller than that. (Our mixes are designed for full tins.)

* Bake the muffins until they are a light golden brown. The muffin top should spring back when gently pressed with the finger and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Over-baked muffins will be dry and tough. Under baked muffins may be moist and heavy with a doughy center.

* It is easy to tear apart hot muffins trying to lift them from the tins. Instead, let the muffins sit for a few minutes and you should be able to easily lift them out intact. Place them on wire racks to continue cooling.

* Muffins are best served hot and do not keep well beyond the first day. Freeze any extras.

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