Saturday, 16 February 2019

Small Batch Maple & Oatmeal Muffins


I quite like to enjoy a muffin in the mornings either for breakfast or mid morning with a hot drink. Muffins always seem to be an acceptable option to choose for a snack rather than having cake.  And a proper muffin really is nothing like a cake, so you would be well justified in thinking so.



By muffin, I mean a quick bread, not overly sweet, the size of which is  somewhere in between a golf ball and a tennis ball . . .  not those huge things that masquerade as muffins in most bake shops, coffee shops and yes, even Costco.


I love oatmeal muffins.  I think next to bran muffins they are my favourite kind of muffin.  When my children were small I used to buy the Quaker Oat Muffin Mix and stir chocolate chips into it  for baking.  The children loved them, and yes, so did I. 



There is no such thing as a muffin mix over here, at least not that I have seen.  When I had my own Coffee Shop, I used to serve muffins.  I would buy big plastic containers of muffin mix  . . .



I would buy in carrot muffin mix, bran (always popular), banana and morning glory (everyone's favourite.)  Personally I was never fond of the carrot one, but I did not mind the others, and I did a brisk business with them, selling them out every day.



It was an easy option.  It came frozen in huge tubs and you just scooped the mix into the muffin tins and baked. Easy peasy lemon squeasy.  When you are on your own and baking dozens every day, it was the best option, especially when you also had a lot of other things to prepare such as sandwiches, etc.



Now there are only two of us I usually bake small batches of things.  I have slowly been cutting my regular recipes down to make only half as much of things.  It only makes sense. 



These are lovely muffins . . .  just about the size of your fist.  Moist and delicious with a lovely peaked top . . . 



The flavours are nice  . . .  maple, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Not overly sweet, but just right . . . 



Using oats adds a bit of nuttiness and a lovely texture . . .  and oats are wholesome and good for the heart.


I favour old fashioned oats . . .  with large flakes.  You can use rolled oats also.  I just don't recommend using quick oats . . . but that is just a personal choice on my part. 



Never having used them, I cannot answer to the result you might have if you did use them. Like I said I like the old fashioned ones.


I also like to use Muscovado brown sugar, which has a higher molasses content and which is less refined than regular brown sugar.  I also use pure Maple syrup, amber grade, not artificial maple syrup. 


Yield: makes 6

Small Batch Oatmeal & Maple Muffins

prep time: 10 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 35 mins
Delicious Maple and brown sugar muffins that we really love. Moist and delicious and not overly sweet. Sized to make just six muffins, but can easily be doubled to make more.  You can also freeze these

ingredients:

  • 80g old fashioned oatmeal (1 cup)
  • 120ml milk (1/2 cup)
  • 60ml pure Maple syrup (1/4 cup)
  • 3 TBS vegetable oil
  • 70g soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup, packed)
  • 1 large free range egg, beaten
  • 105g plain flour (3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Demerara sugar to sprinkle on top (turbinado) (optional)

instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a six cup muffin tin with papers.  Set aside.
  2. Measure the oats into a bowl. Add the milk and let sit for 10 minutes.  Add the oil, brown sugar, maple syrup and egg.  Sift together the flour, soda, baking power and salt.  Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture just to combine. You will have a wet batter.
  3. Divide equally amongst the muffin cups. Sprinkle a bit of demerara sugar on top of each if desired.
  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
Created using The Recipes Generator



These really are lovely muffins.  Sometimes I will add some vanilla, but  more often than not I don't.  I suppose if you really want a deeper Maple flavour you could use Maple Extract.  Its not something which exists over here in the UK.  I like these just as they are.  I do think some chopped toasted walnuts would also be an excellent addition.  Bon weekend! 



9 comments

  1. Happy to have this new recipe as I love maple muffins and like small batch Marie..I am a muffin girl for sure..I never knew you had a coffeee shop! Wonders never cease!

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    Replies
    1. It was after I had my fifth child. I think he was about 6 months old when I went to work. It was hard. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't! Hindsight is always 20/20 These are great little muffins! xo

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  2. I might have what I need to make these today and I love the small batch deal.

    And let me tell you, your Lemon Drizzle Cake -- it's going into the all-time favorites category! It was FABULOUS! I wasn't sure about the puree part, if my blender could handle it but I used Meyer lemons which are very thin skinned and that was kind of perfect. I was going to freeze half the cake but I think there's not enough left to do that with! Here's a good substitution -- I didn't have medium eggs -- I always buy extra large -- so I used three instead of four and my flour was all purpose, not self rising so I added about a tsp. of baking powder. All worked perfectly! Now I'm looking at your sidebar and you had instructions for that, so I guess I didn't add quite enough but that was OK -- it turned out fine!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Small batch always works for us Jeanie! I am so pleased that you enjoyed the Lemon Drizzle Cake! Yay! Thin skinned lemons are the best kind to use! It makes me so happy that you liked it! Yay! xo

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  3. I wonder, Marie, if you are aware of English Muffins? See here:

    https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/english_muffins_56640

    They are very different from the North American variety. I guess there is room in the world for both!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am very aware of English Muffins Toffee Apple! They are quite common in North America also. They are a yeast bread, whilst these types of muffins are a quick bread. xo

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  4. A wonderful recipe! I got 9 muffins, but my tins are not large. I also played with the recipe, substituting apple sauce for 2T of the oil and added chopped pecans. Truly delicious. Thank you for such a nice recipe!

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    Replies
    1. I am so pleased they were enjoyed! Love your suggestion of subbing some applesauce for some of the oil! Healthy and love pecans myself! xoxo

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  5. These were fantastic! Dense and flavorful. I love that the recipe made only 6 muffins that rose to pretty domes and baked to perfection.

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