The Muffin Method (a Quick Bread)

Culinary Basics Class

LSHS

Advantages of the Muffin Method•Quick•Easy•Inexpensive•Anyone can make muffins•A great variety of choices

Recipes that use the Muffin Method • Pancakes

• Waffles

• Crepes

• Cornbread

• Muffins

• Fruit Breads such as zucchini bread, banana bread, and pumpkin bread

• Wacky Cocoa Cake

What Defines the “Muffin Method”

It’s all about the mixing technique and the order the ingredients are added.

Muffin Method

A simple, two-stage mixing method.

– The dry and moist ingredients are mixed separately and then blended until the dry ingredients just become moist.

– Over-mixing will result in a tough baked product riddled with tunnels.

Purpose of Ingredients

Eggs

• Flavor

• Color

• Richness

• Tenderness

• Binder

• Leavening

Purpose of Ingredients

Milk or Other Liquid(The Activator)

• Triggers production of gluten• Allows leavening to start• Dissolves sugar• Moisture

More about Liquids

• Milk adds richness and increases browning

• Nutrients

• Liquids interact with the leavening agents, starting the rising process

(When liquid is added determines the characteristics of the baked good.)

Purpose of Ingredients

Fat (Shortening, oil or melted butter)

• Richness

• Flavor Enhancer

• Tenderness

• Brown the crust

• Leavener

Purpose of Ingredients

Sugar

• Flavor

• Tenderness

• Rich brown color

• crispness

Purpose of Ingredients

Flour• Structure (without flour

baked goods would fall apart)• Gluten effects the texture and

rising.

(When mixed with liquid, protein in flour forms an elastic web of gluten. The higher the protein, the higher the gluten.)

Purpose of Ingredients

Baking Powder or Baking Soda

• Makes the product rise (through the release of carbon dioxide gas that increases the volume of bubbles.

• They are called Leavening agents.

The End

I hope you enjoy your Muffin Method Lab!

-Mrs. B

• Single-Stage Method– Also known as the quick-

mix, one-bowl, or dump method.

– All the dry and liquid ingredients are mixed together at once.

– Packaged mixes for cakes, biscuits, and other baked goods rely on this method.

Mixing Techniques

• Pastry-Blend Method– Fat is first cut into flour with a

pastry blender, or with two knives crisscrossed against each other in a scissor-like fashion, to form a mealy fat-flour mixture.

– Half the milk and all of the sugar, baking powder, and salt are then blended into the fat-flour mixture.

– Lastly, eggs and more milk may then be blended into the mixture.