How to Make Simple Muffins
Pre-heat the oven to 400˚F/204˚C., Prepare the muffin pan with liners or spray., Measure the flour properly., Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl., Next mix the oil, milk and egg., Pour the wet ingredients...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400˚F/204˚C.
Place paper liners in the cups of a regular-sized muffin pan, or spray each cup with non-stick vegetable oil and set aside.
Liners will make clean-up quick and efficient.You can also spray the inside of the liners to make removing the muffins easier.
If you prefer your muffins to have a bit of a crust use a spray instead of liners., Use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the bag and then scoop it into a 1 cup (240 ml) dry measuring cup, but don’t pack it down.
When it’s just overflowing, take the straight-edged side of a knife and smooth it across the measuring cup.You’ll end up using far more flour than a recipe calls for if you scoop flour from the bag with the measuring cup or if you pack it down, which will make muffins dry and hard. , Use a wooden spoon to mix them together well, and then spin the spoon to create a well in the center where you will pour the wet ingredients.
Making bread-like muffins that are light and crumble easily utilize what’s called the muffin method, in which you mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then barely stir – never use an electric mixer – the two together so the gluten in the flour isn’t over-activated.The well will help ensure you don’t over-mix the two, the chief mistake to avoid when making muffins.
Over-mixing will make muffins dense and tough. , First crack the egg on the edge of a small bowl, empty it into the bowl and check for eggshells.
If you see any, use a fork to dig them out.
Then use a whisk, electric mixer or fork to combine the oil, milk and egg in a medium-sized mixing bowl. , As soon as you pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry, use a wooden spoon to mix them, but only until the dry ingredients are just barely moistened.
The rule of thumb is to use between 10-15 strokes.
The batter will be lumpy, and you may even see traces of flour.
This is what you want.
Over-mixing causes long strands of gluten in the flour to develop, creating not only the toughness you want to avoid but also tunnels in muffins. , Never let muffin batter rest because the baking powder will lose its leavening power, which is what makes baked goods rise.
Use either a spoon or an ice scream scooper and fill each cup 2/3 full.
If you fill each cup all the way, the muffins will end up flat, not domed.
If you’re using a muffin pan that has more than 12 cups, spread out the batter so it’s not concentrated in one area.
Then fill the empty cups halfway full with water., Place the muffin pan in the center rack of the oven for even heating and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Rotate the pan about halfway through the baking time., Stick a toothpick in the center of a few muffins to see if the muffins are fully baked.
If the toothpick is clean when you remove it, your muffins are ready.
If not, continue cooking another five minutes and check again.
When bread-like muffins have fully baked, they should be golden brown and have a rounded, pebbly top. , Take the pan from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and let the muffins cool so they won’t break when you remove them from the pan.
Then use a butter knife to lift the muffins from the cups and place them on the cooling rack.
Make sure you use oven mitts or gloves, or folded towels, to protect your hands from being burned when you remove the pan. , You can also top them with yogurt, cream cheese, butter, a drizzle of white chocolate or whipped cream! Thaw them at room temperature before eating if you decide to freeze them. -
Step 2: Prepare the muffin pan with liners or spray.
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Step 3: Measure the flour properly.
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Step 4: Combine the flour
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Step 5: baking powder and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
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Step 6: Next mix the oil
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Step 7: milk and egg.
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Step 8: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry.
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Step 9: Scoop the batter into muffin cups immediately.
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Step 10: Bake the batter.
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Step 11: Check at 20 minutes to see if they’re done.
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Step 12: Remove the muffins and cool them in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
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Step 13: Serve them now or wrap cooled muffins individually in plastic wrap and freeze.
Detailed Guide
Place paper liners in the cups of a regular-sized muffin pan, or spray each cup with non-stick vegetable oil and set aside.
Liners will make clean-up quick and efficient.You can also spray the inside of the liners to make removing the muffins easier.
If you prefer your muffins to have a bit of a crust use a spray instead of liners., Use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the bag and then scoop it into a 1 cup (240 ml) dry measuring cup, but don’t pack it down.
When it’s just overflowing, take the straight-edged side of a knife and smooth it across the measuring cup.You’ll end up using far more flour than a recipe calls for if you scoop flour from the bag with the measuring cup or if you pack it down, which will make muffins dry and hard. , Use a wooden spoon to mix them together well, and then spin the spoon to create a well in the center where you will pour the wet ingredients.
Making bread-like muffins that are light and crumble easily utilize what’s called the muffin method, in which you mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then barely stir – never use an electric mixer – the two together so the gluten in the flour isn’t over-activated.The well will help ensure you don’t over-mix the two, the chief mistake to avoid when making muffins.
Over-mixing will make muffins dense and tough. , First crack the egg on the edge of a small bowl, empty it into the bowl and check for eggshells.
If you see any, use a fork to dig them out.
Then use a whisk, electric mixer or fork to combine the oil, milk and egg in a medium-sized mixing bowl. , As soon as you pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry, use a wooden spoon to mix them, but only until the dry ingredients are just barely moistened.
The rule of thumb is to use between 10-15 strokes.
The batter will be lumpy, and you may even see traces of flour.
This is what you want.
Over-mixing causes long strands of gluten in the flour to develop, creating not only the toughness you want to avoid but also tunnels in muffins. , Never let muffin batter rest because the baking powder will lose its leavening power, which is what makes baked goods rise.
Use either a spoon or an ice scream scooper and fill each cup 2/3 full.
If you fill each cup all the way, the muffins will end up flat, not domed.
If you’re using a muffin pan that has more than 12 cups, spread out the batter so it’s not concentrated in one area.
Then fill the empty cups halfway full with water., Place the muffin pan in the center rack of the oven for even heating and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Rotate the pan about halfway through the baking time., Stick a toothpick in the center of a few muffins to see if the muffins are fully baked.
If the toothpick is clean when you remove it, your muffins are ready.
If not, continue cooking another five minutes and check again.
When bread-like muffins have fully baked, they should be golden brown and have a rounded, pebbly top. , Take the pan from the oven, put it on a cooling rack and let the muffins cool so they won’t break when you remove them from the pan.
Then use a butter knife to lift the muffins from the cups and place them on the cooling rack.
Make sure you use oven mitts or gloves, or folded towels, to protect your hands from being burned when you remove the pan. , You can also top them with yogurt, cream cheese, butter, a drizzle of white chocolate or whipped cream! Thaw them at room temperature before eating if you decide to freeze them.
About the Author
Douglas Hill
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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