How to Improvise a Muffin

Many breakfast recipes are simple formulas: pancakes, waffles, biscuits, etc. I include the muffin on that list. It’s a basic recipe that can be adjusted to make make corn muffins or perhaps nutmeg muffins, and it can be adapted for inclusions like blueberries, peaches, pecans, etc. And it is simple.

I use buttermilk as the liquid of choice, along with a stick of melted butter, two eggs, 3 cups of flour, a 1/2 cup of sugar, leavener, salt, perhaps some nutmeg, and a bit of vanilla. The trick, as with most quick breads, is to barely moisten the batter using a silicone spatula—there may be a few streaks of flour visible. A tender muffin needs a tender touch.

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Just this morning, I made a corn muffin with blueberries, since the family had gone out to pick blueberries yesterday up in Granville, NY, at Hick’s Orchard. In July, they also have sour cherries and we picked 35 pounds of them last year! It took hours to pit them, but then we froze some, made jam, etc. (It is the end of the blueberry season here in Vermont, so the pickings are slim. The best place to look is near the ground, under most of the foliage. U-pickers are often too lazy to bend over.)

Figuring out when a muffin is done can be handled two ways. A small wooden dowel or toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean, or you can use an instant read thermometer, which should read 205℉. If you want to add fruit, mix it with just a tablespoon of flour so it readily incorporates into the batter.

One last trick: You can substitute a bit of semolina flour for the all-purpose; maybe a 1/2 cup. Semolina, made from hard durum wheat, works wonders on breakfast items such as pancakes and waffles; you get a better exterior with a slightly custardy interior.

These are not cupcakes. I only use a 1/2 cup of sugar, since I prefer to add butter and jam or honey when serving. Remember that you should use a light hand when mixing the batter; it will look rough, thick and on the dry side. If you are using salted butter, reduce salt to a 1/2 teaspoon. You can also substitute brown sugar for white or replace 1 cup all-purpose flour with either whole-wheat or rye flour.