Magical Muffins

Weeknight baking made easy

When is a muffin not a muffin?  When it’s a cupcake.  And let’s not kid ourselves – most of the “muffins” you buy at your local coffee shop are cupcakes. Perhaps they lack the overt trappings of cake like frosting and sprinkles, but I can assure you that most every commercially-baked muffin is chock full of sugar and fat regardless of its seeds, fruit and shade of crumb.

But that said, a muffin can be, as the old cereal ads touted “part of a complete breakfast” or a perfectly decent snack.  They’re also a great way to use seasonal fruit or bits of this and that – a last handful of nuts or dried fruit, the end of a bag of coconut, or those frozen blueberries you got on sale.  You can add spice, citrus zest, and combine any combination thereof that pleases you.

And, of course, the basic formula for muffins is indeed a ratio. You probably know that I adore ratios because they give us the means to cook without a recipe. And muffins ought to be one of those quick things you can just pull together when the mood to bake strikes or when berries are in season. And it should hardly come as a shock that the ratio for a quick bread is exactly the same as for muffins, so if you’re in the mood for a loaf you’ll be in luck - just change the pan and extend the cooking time to about 45-50 minutes.

You can have fresh muffins in less than an hour, so what’s your excuse?

The Gear:

• Two bowls

• Spatula

• Whisk

• Scale or measuring cups

• Measuring spoons

• Muffin pan + paper liners (if not non-stick)

The Ingredients (all at room temperature):

• All-purpose flour

• White sugar

• Milk

• Butter (melted)

• Large eggs

• Salt

• Baking powder

• Add-ins of your choice (I’ll explain)

The ratio for muffins is 2 parts flour: 2 parts milk: 1 part sugar: 1 part egg: 1 part butter, plus baking powder and salt. 

For my recipe I’m using 225 grams/4 ounces/1 3/4 cups of flour: 250 ml/8 ounces/1 cup of milk: 113 grams/4 ounces:/half a cup of sugar: 2 large eggs: 113 grams/ 4 ounces/1 stick of butter (about half a cup melted). A teaspoon of baking powder will leaven about 1 cup of flour, so we’ll use 2 teaspoons. 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt is about right for this volume, but you can use less if your butter is salted.

(And if you notice that these conversions seem a bit less than exact as they translate from weight to volume, perhaps you’ll be convinced to get a scale for baking…you’ll make your life easier, I swear!)

The technique:

• Combine your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder) in a bowl. Add any dry spices you’d like to include. A teaspoon of cinnamon works with many different fruits, but why not try allspice or cardamom or a little grating of nutmeg? Whisk to combine because sifting is for the birds.

  

• Whisk your eggs until they aren’t stringy (see my scrambled egg notes), and whisk in the milk and butter. If you add melted butter to cold milk and eggs it will seize into little chunks, so mind my suggestion to start with everything at room temperature. Add a little vanilla extract if you’re so inclined.

  

• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold together with a spatula until just combined. Excessive stirring develops the gluten in the flour leading to tough muffins (no one wants that), so be gentle.

  

• Get creative. Grate the zest off that sad citrus. Toss in the last handful of nuts. Forage in your cupboards for bits of dried fruit. Frozen fruit is fine too, but it will “bleed” as it thaws, so add it at the last minute. Fold your treasures in gently to avoid overworking your batter.

  

• Line your muffin pan with paper liners, or spray/grease appropriately. Since my pans may be older than I am I am strongly pro-liner.

• Pre-heat your oven to 350F. If you’re wondering why I didn’t suggest this earlier it is by design. Resting your batter allows the gluten to relax a little more and the flour molecules a chance to hydrate a little more. Clever, aren’t I?

• Fill your muffin pans with batter just short of the top. Exactly how many muffins you’ll make depends on the size of the wells and the volume of add-ins. I got about 11 (though one was kinda scrawny). I’ve always added a little water to empty wells to ensure the muffins baked evenly, but then I read this, so don’t stress about it. If you’re so inclined you can sprinkle a little coarse sugar atop your muffins, but admit it if only to yourself… you’re straying into cupcake territory.

  

• Bake your muffins for about 18-23 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on the size of your wells and the vagaries of your oven. I usually set the timer for 15 minutes and keep a close eye after that. If you stick one with a toothpick and it comes out clean they are done.

  

• Let them rest in the pan a few minutes then remove to a cooling rack. Consume with reckless abandon, store fully-cooled in an airtight container, or freeze until carb-cravings strike.

  

If you want to be show-offy and have fresh muffins first thing in the morning feel free to make the batter and refrigerate covered overnight. Just like pancakes. Save your mix-ins until morning though - your dried fruit and nuts will suck the moisture out of your batter and frozen fruit will melt.

Are these the absolute best muffins you’ll ever taste? There are many excellent recipes that tailor the ratio just perfectly for particular flavours adding moisture and balance in exacting measure. I think of these muffins though like the frittatas of baking: a way to express your creativity and upcycle the little bits of stuff in your fridge, pantry and freezer. You’re done in less than an hour, have a week’s worth of snacks, and you’ve baked something uniquely you. Almost magic, eh?