Recipe #47: Dark-and-Moist Bran Muffins

Dark & Moist Bran Muffins

For these muffins, I used a recipe from Bob's Red Mill flours site: Moist Molasses Bran Muffins. They were delicious! As you can see from the photo, there is red sugar on top of the muffins--that was supposed to have been in a heart shape--for Valentine's Day and because the muffins are heart-y. Hah! Anyway, the shape melted away during baking, alas!

My tasters also enjoyed these and were happy that they were--as one put it--guilt free (low fat, high fiber).

I would definitely make these again as they were very good. I rate these muffins 5 out of 5.

Next up: Date-and-Nut Muffins

Recipe #46: Crunch-Apple Muffins

Apple Crunch Muffins

For these muffins, I chose a recipe for apple muffins with a crunch topping, though the original recipe in 201 Muffins did not mention a crunch topping (despite its title--one of the flawed recipes, I think, since the photo seemed to show a crunch topping). The recipe I used came from the website, Mr. Breakfast, authored by Eddy Chavey, who is a self-proclaimed breakfast expert (and graduate of Los Angeles' New School of Cooking).

These muffins were very good, though they tasted a lot like coffee cake to me. The crunch topping was the best part, but I also liked the big-ish chunks of apple in them. My tasters all enjoyed them, one saying they were his "favorite so far."

I rate these muffins 5 out of 5. Next, we will finally pass out of the "C" muffins with Dark-and-Moist Bran Muffins. Like the Crunch-Apple muffins that brought us back to the "As," these first "D" muffins will return us to the "Bs."

So stay tuned!

Recipe #45: Crumb Muffins with Raisins

Crumb Muffins with Raisins

Crumb muffins are muffins made with bread crumbs that replace part of the flour. It's an old process that goes back to the middle ages in Europe, when people used stale bread crumbs to make all manner of baked goods. These days, you don't see bakers using bread crumbs much, but people still use graham cracker crumbs, cookie crumbs, and cereal crumbs in baking. So it really isn't such a stretch to incorporate bread crumbs, but I think it's necessary to get the right kind, especially if you're making a quick bread.

I did have a bit of trouble finding a recipe that would approximate the one in 201 Muffins. In fact, after searching the internet for a few days and finding nothing suitable, I decided to check my good old bread making book, A World of Breads, by Dolores Casella, to see if it contained such a recipe. And lo and behold, it did! It was a simple recipe described as "very old"--just what I wanted! I made a few adjustments to the recipe, adding raisins and pecans and more sugar. I used whole wheat bread crumbs which I had to make, but fortunately, there was a recipe for that on the internet! 

I think the muffins came out very well. They were hearty and slightly sweet. I would definitely make these again! My tasters also enjoyed them. I rate these muffins 5 out of 5.

Next up: Crunch-Apple Muffins 

Recipe #44: Cream Cheese-Filled Muffins with Raspberries

Cream Cheese Muffins with Berries

The recipe in the book, 201 Muffins, called for a cream cheese filling and raspberries. I found a recipe that featured cream cheese filling and a variety of berries: Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Muffins, from the website, Five Heart Home. I didn't have any raspberries, so I used the berries I had on had: blueberries, cranberries and cherries. I also added a pecan on top for garnish.

The muffins came out tasting very good. I especially liked the little bit of sweetened cream cheese in the center; it made it unnecessary to butter the muffin! The fruit added just enough tartness.

My tasters also enjoyed them and so if I have occasion, I will make them again. I rated these muffins 5 out of 5.

Recipe #43: Cranberry-and-Wheat-Berry Muffins

Barley Pecan Muffins

I had quite a challenge finding a recipe on line to match the one in the book, 201 Muffins. That recipe uses 1/2 cup wheat berries, sour cream, and two cups of cranberries. Wheat berries was what stymied me; there are no recipes that use those, and for a good reason, as I found out. They are actually raw wheat kernels, which have got to be very hard. I didn't want to eat muffins with hard wheat kernels in them--after all, how much could they cook in only 20 minutes?

So, next I looked for recipes with wheat flour or something along those lines. I finally found one that seemed to fit the bill: Barley Pecan Muffins. The recipe came from the Canadian newspaper, the Globe and Mail, in their Recipes section. Though the title doesn't mention the cranberries and blueberries called for in the recipe, it does feature barley flour, which I learned is equivalent to wheat berries, and not as hard! So this is the recipe I used.

The muffins came out well, and tasted good. My tasters enjoyed them and they went well with holiday meals. So I rate these 5 out of 5.

Next: Cream Cheese-Filled Muffins with Raspberries.

Recipe #42: Cranberry-Orange Muffins with Walnuts

Cranberry-Orange Muffins with Walnuts

I obtained this recipe for Cranberry Orange Muffins from a website called Sally's Baking Addiction. The author has many wonderful recipes, including this one, which produced the best cranberry muffins thus far. I added walnuts to her excellent recipe, which only made them more delicious! The tartness of the cranberries combined nicely with the sweetness from the orange juice, brown sugar and orange glaze. And the walnuts added a nice crunch.

I served these to guests around the Thanksgiving holiday, and they thoroughly enjoyed them. In fact, when I finally found the time to take a photograph, there was only one left!

I would definitely make these muffins again, especially at Thanksgiving time. I rate these 5 out of 5.

Next Up: Cranberry-Wheat Berry Muffins

Recipe #41: Cranberry Muffins

Cranberry Muffins

The recipe in the 201 Muffins book, Cranberry Muffins, was designed to produce a plain muffin with cranberries. I found a recipe called Fresh Cranberry Muffins on the website, My Recipes, that seemed to fit the bill. It was a simple recipe, but unfortunately it produced muffins that were kind of sour and just a little too plain. More sugar might have helped, so once I learned how sour they were, I put a little orange glaze on the top to sweeten them up a bit. It didn't help much. My tasters said they were just "okay," but I didn't really like them myself.

Better luck next time, I guess! I rate these muffins 3 out of 5.

Next up: Cranberry-Orange Muffins with Walnuts