Muffins

Whole Wheat Maple Walnut Muffins with Currants

I've been using this recipe since the 1970s. It's so versatile it could have 100 different names. The original name was Whole Wheat Muffins.

• While the recipe says it makes one dozen muffins, once you start adding fruit and nuts, you can easily make a baker's dozen -- or more.
• I have included some of my favorite substitutions/variations. [They are shown in bold italics.]
• The Whole Wheat Maple Walnut Muffins with Currants (shown above) were made with plain non-fat yogurt (instead of milk), whole wheat flour, maple syrup (instead of honey), walnuts, currants, and cinnamon . . . along with baking powder, salt, egg, and oil, of course.

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Adapted from: The Tassajara Bread Book
Makes 1 dozen (or more) muffins -- see note above
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2 cups whole wheat flour [rolled oats, white flour, and/or cornmeal can be substituted for part of the whole wheat flour]
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup oil -- I use canola
¼ to ½ cup honey or molasses [maple syrup, sugar, brown sugar]
1½ cups milk [plain or flavored yogurt -- I use fat-free]

Sometimes I add one or more of these:
½ teaspoon cinnamon and/or ¼ teaspoon nutmeg/mace
½ cup chopped nuts
Fruits including fresh blueberries, sliced/grated apples, sliced bananas; or dried fruits such as raisins, currants, dates, apricots, or cherries.

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Grease muffin tin (or use muffin papers).
• Combine dry ingredients. Add any spices or herbs now.
• Combine wet ingredients.
• Mix dry ingredients into the wet. Mix just until the flour is moistened. The batter should be lumpy. Overbeating will create tunnels in the muffins.
• Quickly add any nuts or fruits.
• Spoon batter into greased muffin tin.
• Depending on the flavor you want, you can sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake for about 20 minutes. Muffins should spring back when you touch them with with your finger.