Cooking Lesson #106 Muffins 101, Plus Four Great Muffin Recipes

Chocolate Corn Muffins

How you doin’? When I lived in Dallas there was this neat little food outlet in one of the malls that just sold muffins. I used to go there once a week and pick up a half dozen of their great muffins and have them for breakfast throughout the week. I thought this was the start of a new national franchise chain and then, POOF, it was gone.
 
I won’t be coy… I love muffins! There are so many wonderful flavors and textures—savory and sweet—you can eat them every day. This includes the addition of different toppings and different inclusions (chocolate chips, blueberries, etc.).
 
When developing our chocolate muffin mix for Choclatique our R&D team was baking muffins by the hundreds daily. We knew a lot before we started, but I must confess everyday was a new learning experience. 
 
Why muffins? Well for starters they are very easy to make and bake—it can be one of the first baking lessons you can share with your children. Muffins are very portable—toss them in Ziploc bag or wrap them in food film. Because they can be baked in a paper muffin cup you can throw them in a lunch bag or and maybe even backpack— depending on what else is in there—without crushing them.  
 
Why are muffins so easy to make? There are relatively few ingredients, you don’t need an electric mixer, and you really don’t even need a muffin tin—you can bake muffins in a muffin cup (made out of paper with the foil liner divider). You can bake mini-muffins or giant muffins with the same recipes—just a little longer or shorter bake time. In other words, muffins are very forgiving.
 
What are some of the best ChefSecrets for baking beautiful muffins?

• Do not over mix the muffin batter. Generally, you just mix to combine the ingredients together.
• Have all the ingredients ready to go. Fold them with a wooden spoon until just combined—some lumps and streaks are okay.
• The easiest way to make sure your muffins don’t stick is to give them a heavy spritz of food release including the flat top part of the pan where the muffin tops sometime overlap. 
• Some muffin recipes (even boxed mixes) call for using oil instead of butter--DON’T DO IT! By using oil you’re missing out on the great buttery taste. You can also use a combination of butter and unsweetened applesauce if you’re cutting down on calories.
• Make your muffins moister so they last a little longer by adding an extra egg or by using a little more fruit filling. Don't add too much fruit or your muffins will be soggy.
• Keep your particulates in the middle of the muffins by dredging them in a little flour before adding them in. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin cup. This is also a great way to keep blueberries from blue streaking the batter or creating an all-over blue muffin.
• Making great crumb topping is easy when your butter is right consistency—not too cold or melted. As with the batter, don’t over mix the crumb ingredients. Use two knives, a pastry cutter or your fingers. It is supposed to be a crumb topping, not a second batter. Test it… if you can squeeze it in your hand and have it hold together, you got it right. And remember, don’t add too much topping to your muffins or you may get that sinking feeling.
• If you love filled muffins you can achieve the best results by adding the filling before baking—fill the muffin cups part way with muffin batter, add the filling and then put another scoop of the batter on top. You can also fully bake the muffins and after they cool, cut a cone out of the top of the muffin and add filling using a pastry bag.

• If making extra-large muffins, reduce the heat a bit and increase the bake time by 10 minutes or so longer. If you’re baking mini-muffins, you’ll only need about a 15 minute bake time. You should check them often to make sure you don’t over-bake them.

 
                          The Chocolate Doctor’s Chocolate Corn Muffins
 
Our top bakers test recipes all day long to add to our blog. While in the elevator going down to the car I asked, “Have either of you ever heard of Chocolate Corn Muffins?” I got a couple of wrinkled noses and a look of “Are you crazy?” Then they said, “Well, why not?” So here for the first time anywhere is our version of Chocolate Corn Muffins. Why not?

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 12 to 15 minutes
Yield: 12 to 15 medium muffins
 
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup medium cornmeal
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
1-1/3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 ounces dark chocolate (64%+), chopped, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 cup dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons crystalline sugar for topping.
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Spray with food release.
3. In large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, vanilla extract, honey, melted butter, chocolate and eggs. 
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon hand-stir until they are just blended. Do Not Over Mix.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Scoop the batter into the paper liners, filling each one 3/4 full.
8. Evenly sprinkle the crystalline sugar over the tops of each muffin.
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are crisp and a cake tester comes out clean.
10. Cool slightly and remove from the pan.
11. Serve warm.

ChefSecrets:

• You can melt the butter and chocolate in the same bowl at the same time.
• Slather the muffins with butter (you can never have enough butter) and enjoy or cut in them half and turn these chocolate corn muffins into strawberry “corn” cakes piled high with plenty of whipped cream… like a strawberry short cake only much better.

 
                                          Basic Crumb-Topped Muffins
 
This is as basic a muffin recipe as you can find. It will become your go-to recipe every time.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  20 to 24 minutes
Yield:  12 standard-size muffins
 
Ingredients

For the crumb topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1-3/4 cups cake flour
 
For the muffins
Cooking spray and/or paper muffin liners
2-1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting the baked muffins)
 
Directions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. 
2. Line a standard 12-well muffin tin with paper liners and coat with food release cooking spray; set aside.

To make the topping

1. Using a food processor or pastry cutter mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl. Add in the butter until combined. Stir in the flour until the mixture just resembles wet sand; set aside.

To make the muffin batter

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the butter, buttermilk, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla together until combined.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined; some lumps and streaks are okay.
4. Using a scoop, deposit the batter among the prepared muffin wells, filling each one 3/4 of the way full.  Divide the crumb topping among the muffin wells and gently press them into the batter.
5. Bake until the muffins are golden-brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes.
6. Cool the muffins in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. Dust the muffins with powdered sugar before serving.

Storage: The muffins will keep at in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months, then thawed at room temperature.
 
                                                  Honey-Bran Muffins
 
This is Honey-Bran Muffin is like the ones sold at Du-pars Bakery in the Los Angeles Farmer’s Market.
 
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Bake Time:  20 to 25 minutes
Cool time:  20 minutes
Yield:  2 Dozen
 
Ingredients:
 
For the glaze:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
5 tablespoons honey, warm
3 tablespoons boiling water
 
For the muffins
3 cups raisins, dates, dried cherries or prunes, pureed in food processor (measured before processing)
1/2 cup honey, warm
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup wheat bran
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
 
Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 375°F.

To make the glaze

1.  Cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. 
2. Beat in honey and water.
3.  Using a brush, coat bottom and sides of muffin tins.

To make the muffins

1. Mix fruit, honey and oil until smooth. 
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the buttermilk and bran.
3. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
4. Add to wet mixture and lightly mix until just combined.
5. Fill muff tins 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until springy to the touch.
6. Cool for 2 minutes then invert on rack to cool completely.

 
                                             Perfect Blueberry Muffins
 
Around this time every year I like to bake blueberry muffins. They have a high dome and a thick batter (more of a dough) and they’re pretty as a picture.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  25 to 30 minutes (use a tester)
Cool time:  10 minutes, plus 15 minutes
 
Ingredients
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold is fine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt or sour cream
1 large egg
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 to 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost)
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
 
Directions

1. Preheat and oven to 375°F.
2. Line a muffin tin with 9 paper liners or spray each cup with a nonstick food release spray.
3. Melt butter in the bottom of a large bowl and whisk in the sugar, zest, yogurt (or sour cream) and egg until smooth.
4. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda and salt until fully combined, then lightly fold in flour and berries. Batter will be very thick, like a cookie dough.
5. Divide between prepared muffin cups and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar for a perfect crunchy top at the end.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of muffins comes out clean (except for blueberry goo).
7. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then an additional 15 minutes on a rack after discharging from the pan.

ChefSecrets: 

• Dredge the blueberries in a couple of tablespoons of flour to prevent the berries from sinking to the bottom of the cups when baking. 
• These muffins are best to eat on the first day. We found if you them split them open run them under a broiler on day two with a pat of salted butter, it’s so good that you’re going to forever hope for more blueberry muffin leftovers.

 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Keep in mind, even during a pandemic, no matter how much you eat, your earrings will still fit.”
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