With This Simple Trick, You Can Make the Lightest Muffins
Have you ever wondered why your muffins always look a little flat, uniform, and, um, boring compared with those beautiful cloud-topped muffins you see in the pros’ shop windows? I have—at least when it comes to my own muffins. But then I heard what the trick is for those beautifully light, domed muffins!
And the great thing is, it’s a baker’s trick that can hardly fail if you simply start on the batter a little earlier—namely: time.
A good night’s rest for your batter
It costs you nothing as a home baker, just a little foresight. What happens is that when the starch in the flour is allowed to rest overnight, it can absorb more moisture from the eggs and the liquid in the batter. The gluten that can develop overnight helps form that high, domed top, without making the muffins tough.
Lucky us with our baking powder
What is important in this case is that you use double-acting baking powder. The good news: virtually all the baking powder sold in Dutch supermarkets is double-acting. Those little orange sachets labeled ‘Backin’? Perfect. If you prefer to stock double-acting baking powder that actually says ‘double-acting’ in big (English) letters, you can buy or order the American brand Davis at the unparalleled Tjin’s Toko or from their online shop.
Easy does it
Combine the wet and dry ingredients, making sure not to mix them for too long, and place the covered bowl in the fridge overnight. Scoop the chilled batter straight from the fridge into the greased muffin tin or paper liners and bake the muffins. Naturally, use the recipe as a guideline for the baking time, but keep an eye on them yourself too: the tops should be golden brown, the sides should pull away slightly from the edges of the tin, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Still looking for a good recipe? This muffin recipe from Allerhande is a very good starting point. Once you’ve mastered this, feel free to vary it with fruit or chocolate. And remember: let the batter rest overnight!
Also read:
- 10 most important lessons from a decade of The Great British Bake Off
- These are Amsterdam’s best international supermarkets
- 10 kitchen secrets from home cooks you’ll want to use too
