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Q. Whenever I bake muffins, they turn out flat. What is the secret to perfect muffins that are fluffy, pointy and round?
The key to a well-risen muffin is to not over-mix the batter. Follow this basic technique and you will never have another flat muffin.
Measure the dry ingredients (baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and flour) and pour them into a bowl. Mix to evenly distribute the leavenings.
In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (eggs, liquid, sweetener and fat). Beat this mixture for as long as you like. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Use a spatula to mix until the batter is just combined, no more than 10 or 15 strokes. When the streaks of flour disappear, you know you are finished.
Don’t worry if the batter looks lumpy. As the muffin bakes, the batter will continue to blend and the clumps will disappear. The less a muffin is beaten, the better. Over mixing causes the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, which results in a muffin that is tough and flat with tunnel-like holes.
Swiftly scoop the batter into the muffin tins. Over-handling the batter will also work the gluten, producing a tough muffin.
A word on temperature. While most muffin recipes call for a 400 degree oven, if you aren’t the type to turn the rack around mid-way through the baking cycle (this ensures evening browning), turning your oven to 375 is always a safe bet.
And make sure to place the pan in the center of the oven. The lower rack browns the bottoms too much while the higher rack cooks the tops faster than the rest of the muffin.
To put these skills to good use, try this delectable version of hearty lemon blueberry corn muffins.
Click here to make Hearty Lemon Blueberry Corn Muffins
Become part of this interactive culinary dialogue. Felisa Billet welcomes your cooking questions at editor@kosher.com.
