Muffins...help!

raeble

misty wrote:

Why is it your not supposed to use an electric whisk - it overbeats them? I always use an electric whisk for my choc chip muffins and they are delicious. I'll bare it mind though for any others - I love muffins but we tend to have choc chip everytime - they do taste a million times better than the shop bought ones. I was quite happy with shop bought ones until I made my own - the difference is amazing.

This article which has some tips on muffin making gives the reason why you shouldn't use an electric mixer. Quote below

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 to an electric mixer.

Personally I think it is a waste to get out a whisk to do mixing which takes you a minute at most or so by hand. Even though I always have lumps when it goes in the trays, I've never bitten into a lump of uncooked flour once the muffins have come out of the oven. But then I've got a small kitchen and haven't got space for all these gadgets.

Kazonline

What a Numpty I thought and then realised it was ME that had said it!!!!!

Lol, that made me laugh! Off now to check out the link to the rasberry and white choccie muffin thread.... yum......
Kaz x
Edit .... oh no!!! There are loads of really tempting recipies there...... Guess my diet's out of the window again!!!

comping_cat

Kazonline wrote:

Lol, that made me laugh! Off now to check out the link to the rasberry and white choccie muffin thread.... yum......
Kaz x
Edit .... oh no!!! There are loads of really tempting recipies there...... Guess my diet's out of the window again!!!

Kaz, those white choc and raspberry muffins are a favourite here, and have also given a friend of mine the impression that i am a domestic godess, purely because of those muffins!!! (she should taste some of the things i have made!!!!:eek: )

bigmuffins

Hiya again!
Another thing to remember is not to over bake! Will dry out the muffin too much! I like mine moist inside - what I do is put timer on for 15 mins then have a look - usually turn them to brown evenly as my oven is funny that way! Then I usually leave in for another 10 mins or so, so that they are not too brown or dry.
I find the mixture very easy going - doesn't matter how many time the oven is opened - never sink! Not like sponge mixtures!
I could not believe how simple these were - I was introduced to muffins a long while ago by a recipe in the lakeland catalogue - carrot and orange spice muffins and got the book after having a huge success with them
Everyone thinks I am some kind of cooking guru too because of those muffins and Susan Reimer's book! I have a few of my own flavours now as well as the ones in the book. When I bake just before school cake sales, I get a little entourage following me to the table as I walk through - the trays are empty before they hit the tables! I can never bake enough! I keep telling everyone how simple they are and hand out copies of the recipe - have got lots of converts to baking because of it!

I once had visitors arrive when DD1 was teeny and made a batch for them (lemon drizzle as that was all I had to hand) and they were well impressed!
Thought that I was some kind of super organised earth mother! Little did they know that I was in the depths of PND!
Have planted raspberries in garden this year (had them old house - yummy!) so will be stocking up freezer for the winter!

As I mention in the recipe, can bake the recipe in a loaf or shaped tin and get a cutting cake or dessert.

There is a carrot and orange spice muffin recipe which is soo easy and scrummy too! I think is in the new editions of Susan Reimer's book but if anyone wants it - let me know and I post copy of my adapted recipe.

I have come across lots of recipes that need to be mixed like normal cake mixes but I find most of these a bit too dry!
Tried a Delia muffin recipe too and have to say I much prefer the Susan Reimer ones!

Happy baking (& eating!)
bigmuffins

thriftlady_2

Swan wrote:

I'll second that. I spent years trying, & failing, to make decent muffins. but since I got the book from Lakeland a few years back, they've been wonderful & in fact are better than shop-bought

I'll third it - Susan Reimer's book has been invaluable to me.I was deciding whether to buy it in Lakeland a few years ago, when I noticed in the intro she says that if you can't eat eggs you can substitute extra milk.My dd is allergic to eggs so I immediately decided to buy it.She was right the muffins turn out absolutely fine without egg.I never use egg-keeps the cost down too;) One of my most used cookbooks.

I think she also has adaptations for people who can't eat wheat or dairy.

jaxxy00

Just found this thread, as im now making choc muffins and was wondering if i can freeze them? If not they all get scoffed and dont last. If i can freeze them is it ok to put them in freezer bags, how long will they keep in the freezer, how long do they take to thaw out and most importantly do they taste just as good!!?
I would really like to get into bulk baking/cooking but never know how to freeze, what can be cooked straight from the freezer etc so im now going to have a nosey round to try and find out.

thriftlady_2

I freeze muffins all the time.I just put them into plastic bags and bung in the feezer.

When I want them I defrost them in the microwave 30-40 secs for one muffin,a bit longer for more.If you don't use the microwave they take about 30 mins to defrost depending on the weather !

For my kid's lunchboxes I pack them frozen and they're defrosted by mid-morning when they usually scoff them.

I've never noticed a deterioration in quality.

I love making muffins for my lot.They are quick and easy to make.I can make them to suit our dietry requirments.I can use oil instead of butter which is cheaper,easier to measure and healthier.I can use all sorts of things to make them different each time.I think I'll go and whip up a batch now:)

jaxxy00

Thanks thriftlady. I would also like to use oil instead of marg as i should imagine it helps to keep them more moist too but how much oil would i use in the place of 100g marg? I dont think it would be right to weigh out 100g of oil, would i melt the 100g of marg and see how much liquid that makes and then use the equivalent in oil?
Just thought of something else, (sorry full of questions i am), when i makethem i first have to cream the sugar and marg together, how will i get that fluffiness with sugar and oil or will it still work the same?
Thanks.

Swan_2

jaxxy00 wrote:

Thanks thriftlady. I would also like to use oil instead of marg as i should imagine it helps to keep them more moist too but how much oil would i use in the place of 100g marg? I dont think it would be right to weigh out 100g of oil, would i melt the 100g of marg and see how much liquid that makes and then use the equivalent in oil?
Just thought of something else, (sorry full of questions i am), when i makethem i first have to cream the sugar and marg together, how will i get that fluffiness with sugar and oil or will it still work the same?
Thanks.

don't know about the butter/oil conversion. but seriously jaxxy00, get the Suzan Reimer book, I can't recommend it enough ... there's no creaming involved in making proper American muffins & most of the recipes use oil. they're so easy to make & produce wonderful results every time

thriftlady_2

I think you'll find that 100g of marge/butter weighs the same as 100ml of oil;)