KING ARTHUR FLOUR BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE

This adaptation of a Basic Muffin Recipe is from the baking geniuses at King Arthur Flour. Add fruits, flavorings, nuts, vegetables, or substitute grains. This is a fun one for experimenting.

Why preheat at 500 degrees, then drop the temperature when you put muffins in the oven? Read on and you will learn. 

King Arthur Flour's Basic Muffins

Makes 12 muffins or 24 mini-muffins

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil or softened butter (optional)*

2 large eggs

*If you leave the oil out, you can reduce the calories in your muffins by about 30 percent; the flavor will still be excellent, but muffins won't be quite as tender, and won't keep as well should you happen to have any left over.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Blend dry ingredients as long and as vigorously as you want. If you use a little whole wheat flour in your mixture, it's easy to tell when everything is thoroughly mixed.

Beat the liquid ingredients together - milk, oil or butter, and eggs - until they are light. If you have a 2-cup liquid measure (one with a lip above the 2-cup mark) it makes mixing the liquid ingredients very easy. Most eggbeaters will fit right in the cup, so you can use it both as a measure, and as a small mixing bowl.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Take a fork or wire whisk and blend the two for 20 seconds, no more! The secret to light and tender muffins lies in this final blending. It's OK if you've left some lumps that look as if they want more stirring; they really don't. So, no matter how hard it is, resist the impulse.

Fill cups of a lightly greased muffin tin two-thirds to three-quarters full. Place muffins in the oven and immediately drop temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until muffins test done.

*When you put muffins in a very hot oven and immediately drop the temperature, you help create the high peaks that make them so appealing.

Nutrition information per serving (1 muffin, 63 g): 161 cal, 6 g fat, 4 g protein, 16 g complex carbohydrates, 8 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 47 mg cholesterol, 217 mg sodium, 66 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 124 mg calcium, 72 mg phosphorus

Berry or Fruit Muffins : A dd 1-1/2 cups well-drained, finely chopped berries or fruit. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until coated before adding the liquid ingredients; this prevents them from sinking once the liquids are blended in. 

Oatmeal Muffins:   Use 1 cup thick oat flakes (rolled oats) and 1-1/4 cups flour instead of 2 cups flour. Muffins will not rise as high.

Other ideas: Substitute brown sugar for granulated; add 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; use chocolate chips instead of fruit or berries; add zest of 1 lemon when making berry version. Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Substitute coconut milk and coconut oil for dairy products. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top for crunch.