COOKING THURSDAY ~ BAKERY STYLE RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS ~ BLOG 365.176C

Years ago when I had a very long daily commute I would often stop at a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf mid trip for a coffee and bran muffin. They had the most amazing bran muffins and I have spent years trying to get this recipe just right and have finally done it!! They are moist and chewy with bursts of juiciness from the plump raisins.

BAKERY STYLE HONEY RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS Yields 12 muffins

HONEY GLAZE
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons QUALITY honey
2 teaspoons water
pinch kosher salt

  • Whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, melted butter, water and pinch of salt. Set aside.

MUFFINS
1 cup AP flour
1 cup oat bran or wheat bran, they are interchangeable, but I prefer oat bran
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup QUALITY honey
2 tablespoons molasses unsulphured
1 cup golden rum soaked raisins
¼ cup avocado oil
1 LARGE egg, room temperature
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 ½ – 3 teaspoons orange zest

  • Preheat your oven to 350°.
  • Spray muffin tin well with Baker’s Joy.
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, bran, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined. Set aside. 
In another bowl mix together brown sugar, honey, molasses and oil until smooth.
  • Add egg, water, heavy cream and orange zest.
  • Slowly add your dry ingredients with a mixer on low speed until mixed.
  • Fold in raisins

ASSEMBLY

  • Stir glaze.
  • Add 2/3 of a tablespoon of glaze into bottom of each muffin cup, spreading it around and up the sides, this will ensure that distribution of the glaze is even and gets all over that muffin!
  • Fill muffin cups 2/3 full of batter. DO NOT OVER FILL!
  • Place muffin tin on baking sheet in case of overflow.
  • Brush tops with any remaining glaze.
  • Bake 20 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Lay a parchment paper over your cooling rack.
  • Immediately invert muffin tin onto parchment paper to release the muffins.


COOKING THURSDAY ~ FRENCH TOAST MUFFINS ~ BLOG 365.92A

These light and fluffy streusel tops muffins taste just like French toast in muffin form!

FRENCH TOAST MUFFINS

STREUSEL
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup PACKED brown sugar
1 cup AP flour
2 tablespoons QUALITY ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup small wild blueberries, optional

  • In a bowl, add the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt and mix together with a fork until crumbles form. Set aside.

MUFFINS
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • Preheat the oven to 425°.
  • Line a JUMBO muffin tin with liners or grease the wells generously with JOY baking spray.
  • In a LARGE mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs room temperature
⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
1 cup whole milk room temperature

  • In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs until thoroughly combined.
  • Add the sour cream and milk and whisk JUST until incorporated.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides as you go to combine the two mixtures JUST until combined.

ASSEMBLY

  • Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter, then distribute half the streusel on top.
  • Top with more batter until the muffin cup is almost full.
  • Sprinkle the remaining streusel over each muffin.

  • Bake for 25 minutes until cooked through. Adjust timing to less if making regular size muffins.
  • Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool for another 5-10 minutes before enjoying.

BUTTER DIP BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

 
BUTTER DIP BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
1/2 cup salted butter 1 stick, MELTED
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup buttermilk

QUALITY honey (optional)

  • Preheat oven to 450˚.
  • Pour half of the melted butter into an 8×8 baking dish.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  • Whisk in the buttermilk, stirring until a loose dough forms. Batter will be sticky.
  • Add biscuit dough into baking dish on top of the melted butter, smoothing the dough to level out.
  • Pour remaining melted butter over top of dough.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and biscuits spring back to the touch.
  • Rotate dish periodically during baking for even browning.
  • Cut into squares and serve warm drizzled with honey.

PUMPKIN RAISIN SPICE CINNAMON ROLLS

CINNAMON PUMPKIN RAISIN SPICE ROLLS

DOUGH
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2/3 cup Libby’s canned pumpkin
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons fine sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons QUALITY cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 LARGE egg

  • In a large bowl combine 2 cups of flour and the yeast. Set aside.
  • In a small saucepan combine pumpkin, milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt. Heat until warm and butter is melted.
  • Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until blended.
  • Using hand mixer on low speed add egg until combined. Increase speed and beat 3 minutes until well blended, scrap down sides as necessary.
  • Fold in remaining flour JUST until dough is no longer sticky.
  • Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Turn dough ball to coat with the grease.
  • Cover with a cheesecloth and let rise in a warm place an hour or so until double in size.

FILLING
2 1/2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup Craisins
1/3 cup golden raisins

  • In a mixing bowl combine the pumpkin and butter. Set aside.
  • In another small bowl combine the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
  • Grease a 9×13 pan. Set aside.

ASSEMBLY

  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
  • Roll dough into a 12×10 rectangle.
  • Spread with pumpkin butter mixture.
  • Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.
  • Sprinkle with craisins, golden raisins and walnuts.
  • Roll up tightly jelly roll style.
  • Pinch dough to seal edges.
  • Cut into 12 rolls.
  • Place rolls cut side down in prepared pan.
  • Cover with cheesecloth and let rise in a warm place for an hour until nearly double in size.
  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Bake rolls 20-25 minutes and golden brown.

CARAMEL ICING
8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Starbucks vanilla powder
1/2 cup heavy cream
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

  • Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the brown sugar stirring to dissolve until it starts to bubble.
  • Add the cream, cooking for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat.
  • Whisk in 2 cups of powdered sugar until well blended.
  • Add up to 2 more cups of powdered sugar to get to the consistency you want.
  • Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
  • Ice the rolls with half the icing as soon as they come out of the oven. This allows the icing to ooze down into the rolls.
  • Cool 15 minutes and ice again.