This week's recipe for the Tuesday's with Dorie group is Buttermilk Crumb Muffins. In making this muffin, I realized I have a muffin prejudice. I like "muffin-top" muffins, the ones that have a nice puff up above the muffin wrapper. Flat top muffins just don't do it for me. I don't actually understand why we would even create a flat top muffin, and I wonder if there is something I could do to the recipe to make it have a muffin top. Anyone know?
So, besides learning that I have a muffin prejudice, these muffins were tasty and fast to make. The ingredients are actually things I almost always have on hand, so if it weren't for the sad flat top, I would probably make these again and again. But alas....
Anyway, enough complaining about muffin shapes! On to the recipe!
Both the muffin itself and the topping are made out of the same mixture. Mix flour and brown sugar in a bowl and then add white shortening and mix together with your fingers. I love this part. I like mixing with my hands. There is just something really satisfying about using your hands instead of a spoon or mixer, to me. Once this is all mixed together and sort of looks like bread crumbs, scoop out 1/2 cup and this is your reserve for the crumb topping!
To the rest of the crumb mixture, add baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Then add the buttermilk and eggs and mix until the batter is blended and shiny.
Scoop into muffin tins. The recipe suggests using the regular sized muffins but I like the mini-size so that is what I used. I used about 1 tablespoon of batter in each cup. Sprinkle the tops with the reserved crumb mixture and into the oven they go! They baked at 350F for about 20 minutes. If you make the regular sized muffins, the recipe states you will get 14-16 muffins. I ended up with around 40 mini-muffins!
Ta-da! Muffins are finished. They really are very tasty. The cinnamon/nutmeg mixture in the muffin gives it a delicate spice taste and the crumbs on top provide a nice crunch. I just wish they were puffy! It should be noted that the creator of the recipe states straight out in the preface to the recipe that these are flat topped muffins. It was no surprise. Just a personal disappointment to realize my prejudice!
Thank you to Alisa of
Easier than Pie for hosting this recipe! You can find the recipe on her blog or by turning to page 207 of
Baking with Julia!
Since this recipe made me realize a personal food prejudice, I wonder if anyone else has over time realized some food prejudices that they might have? Let me know in your comments, and how you may have overcome them if you have! Thanks!
I also have a thing about muffin tops being rounded and nicely shaped. Also, I have problems with muffin and cupcake recipes that do not end in multiples of 12. Quirky, I know. Your muffins look good!
ReplyDeleteThese muffins were weirdly shaped. I'm thinking that is because this recipe is from 1996. We like things bigger these days.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you, I like nicely rounded muffins.
ReplyDeleteI was willing these to rise as they were cooking, flat muffins don't look as appealing.
They tasted pretty good though!