Piping hot, moist and dangerously moreish, few come close to beating freshly baked homemade muffins.
Truly the greatest thing since sliced bread (though which came first is poised for debate), the meek little muffin is incredibly conversant and can be adapted, modified and jazzed with a multitude of ingredients. You can keep it traditional with cinnamon apple or kick it up kinky with a crushed Mars bar, though many simply keep it wholesome with seasonal fruit/veg. Imagination is the only limitation in the magical sphere of muffins. Have some leftover pieces of overripe fruit? – make muffins! Bread gone moldy and no breakfast for tomorrow? – make muffins! Bored and needing a little boost of self-accomplishment? – Just.Make.Muffins.!
Numerous muffin recipes float the cyber realm, and I often hop from one recipe to the next in a restless bid to experiment with different mixing methods. This recipe is my present favourite as it consists of only a handful (and mostly “guilt-free”) ingredients and is a simple ‘one-bowl-wonder’. Honestly, it is so easy it almost seems unfair.
*The original recipe came out of a dated newpaper clipping and I’ve modified some of the ingredients. The fruit and choc chip can be substituted for 2 cups of any other fruit/toppings of a similar volume.
THE VERSATILE MUFFIN RECIPE
2 cups plain flour (I substituted half of this with wholemeal flour, feel free to do the same with other flours)
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup Greek-style yoghurt (You can substitute with lite sour cream, full cream or creme fraiche or 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil (or any other tasteless oil)
1 banana (sliced)
1/2 cup choc chips
1/3 cup rolled oats (*optional, for topping)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan forced (180C standard).
2. Place flour, sugar & baking powder in a mixing bowl and mix to distribute.
3. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients and place yogurt, eggs, vanilla and oil in the centre.
4. Using a whisk, start from the centre and gently whisk the wet ingredients together. When this has combined, change over to a spatula and fold all ingredients together until partly combined.
5. Add in the fruits/topping and continue folding until combined (no more clumps of flour). DO NOT mix until completely smooth as is it easy to OVERMIX muffins leading to dryness. Simply mix till combined and floury bits disappear.
6. Fill greased (non-stick) muffin tins till just over half full. Sprinkle on the oats and bake for approx 20-30 minutes. Test with a skewer to ensure it comes out dry (do not overbake).
7. Leave to cool and turn out of muffin tin using a prod of a paring knife. (I pop them out whilst still warm as I find it sticks less to the tin. Alternatively, use patti pans). Makes 12 small-medium muffins.
*Store in the fridge to increase shelf life. Warm up in a toaster oven or microwave just before serving.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Have a stupendously memorable long weekend making muffins !
xoxo Amanda
Leave a Reply