Not Nana's bran muffins - Eat Well Recipe - NZ Herald (2024)

FAQs

How do you make high domed muffins? ›

But if you want super domed muffins with seriously tall tops, rest the batter for an hour! This will allow the flour to hydrate and absorb the liquids in the batter more fully, leading to taller domes.

Bran muffins use less flour and use bran instead, as well as using molasses and brown sugar. The mix is turned into a pocketed muffin tray, or into individual paper moulds, and baked in an oven. Milk is often added, as it contributes to the appealing browning appearance.

Start the oven on high

Bake your muffins at 400°F for the first 5 minutes, then drop the temperature to the more standard 350°F for the remainder of the bake time. This method sparks the leavening agents (especially baking powder) in the batter to react quicker, creating that gorgeously risen top.

If it's not hot enough, your muffins won't rise well. Don't undermix your batter. Sometimes I see people are so worried about overmixing (which will cause tough and rubbery muffins) that they barely bring the batter together. This doesn't allow gluten to develop, which is the structural backbone to muffins.

According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat.

Melted butter, when added to muffin batter, becomes solid at room temperature (even after baking) which creates a more dense crumb, like a cupcake.

Muffin was underbaked and cell structure wasn't set. When the cell structure doesn't set, the air spaces created by the leavening in the recipe collapses, causing the muffin to sink. Oven temperatures vary over time. To insure the correct temperature each time you bake, always use an oven thermometer.

It's the bran. It helps keep you regular, especially if you eat a diet that isn't naturally high in fiber. But that doesn't make bran muffins healthy. Most of the muffins you buy in stores are high in sugar and fat, more like cupcakes than old fashioned muffins.

It should be no surprise that studies show wheat bran can relieve constipation and improve digestion. The outer layer of the wheat kernel is a fiber force with a whopping 25 grams per cup. Sprinkle it over your oatmeal, eat a bowl of bran cereal, or whip up a batch of bran muffins.

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

What is the secret to light fluffy muffins? ›

Having eggs, butter, and milk at room temperature helps them form a smooth mixture that traps air and expands when heated in the oven. That expansion makes your muffins fluffy and light. Room-temperature butter should indent easily when you press it.

The water will turn into steam when it hits the heat of the oven and the evaporation will surround the baking cupcakes, making them moist, tender, and fluffy. Another tip: This little trick will have the same effect on baking better muffins too.

Ideal Muffin Cooking Temperature

That being said, the standard oven temperature for baking desserts like quick breads and muffins is commonly set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Setting your oven to this temperature will almost always produce a well-cooked muffin recipe.

Rest the Muffin Batter

The first, most hands-off way to make your muffins pop (literally) is to let the batter rest. Make the batter, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the batter rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. If you're short on time, just 30 minutes can make a difference.

What causes muffins to be coarse in texture with large holes and peaked on top instead of rounded? A. You'll get these results if you mix the batter too much. Remember, you need to stir the ingredients together just until they're moist.

If cakes are peaking during baking it is usually because the oven temperature is a bit too high. The outside edges of the cakes bake quickly, forcing the centre upwards and into a peak. As ovens vary you may find that you need to turn your oven down a little more, especially if it is a fan oven with a strong fan.

It is critical to keep the baking powder can tightly covered. If baking powder absorbs moisture from the air, it will be ineffective as a leavening agent. An incorrect amount of leavening was used in proportion to other ingredients, causing sunken tops.

What is baking powder? Baking powder is actually baking soda mixed with a dry acid. When baking powder comes in contact with a liquid, it releases carbon dioxide bubbles, which cause baked goods to rise.