Topic: What is the difference???

[Jeannine]

I couldn't be bothered weighing for muffins, nor seperating the wet from dry, all the stuff goes in together,,whizz and done, takes about a minute to mix and that's it. As I say we make them for breakfast.. couild do it before I went to work.

I am making 5 dozen today for a tea tomorrow.. carrot and zuchinni this time

XX Jeannine

[Alimo]

Thanks so much for the recipes - they all look fantastic. 

This week I'll be mostly making muffins  ;D

Alison x

[Obelixx]

I don't weigh for muffins either.  I have a set of cups from Lakeland since most of my recipes come from Kiwi books or Australian Women's Weekly books.  I can thoroughly recommend the Oz books and also their cake recipe books.  Only a few quid each so quite cheap.

Once you get the idea you can invent your own recipes and variations on a theme as muffins are more forgiving than cakes.

[Digeroo]

I cannot wait to try out some of these recipes many thanks.  I like the sound of the carrot and zucchini ones.

I thought that muffins were a thicher version of what we now call crumpets.  My grandmother used to make something she called muffins thick enough to cut them open and put butter in the middle. She had a set of rings to keep the muffin thick.   Crumpets you put the butter on top. 

[Jeannine]

That;s an English Muffin, I put a picture on earler,,the Us muffins are baked like a cup cake.

I made my banana one today , chucked a cup of grated carrot and a dollop pf molasses(you can use black treacle) and then put cream cheese frosting on the top when cold.

XX Jeannine

[queenbee]

obbelisk, made your apricot and raspberry muffin recipe this afternoon.  The raspberries were my own grown and the apricot jam was reduced to 25p because it was out of date by a couple of days. I had all the ingredients in my cupboard so I gave it a go. I made it in a loaf tin and have eaten half of it already. It was the most delicious cake I have tasted in a long time. I will definitely do it again and will also experiment with various other fruit. Anyone reading this it is really worth a try. It is very moist, almost soggy and tomorrow I will make some custard to go with it. Sultanas I think is going to be my next try.

[Obelixx]

I'm glad you like them Queenbee.  Done in muffin pans they are a moist in the middle but, being small, get a slight all round crust that holds them together.  I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't like them.

I like the idea of a loaf form serve as pud with custard and reckon it would work well too with warm muffins.

[pumkinlover]

Are muffins generally made and eaten fairly quickly?

[Digeroo]

My mother used to make what she call buns, basically fairy cakes then I was young using victoria sponge receipe.  They never lasted long once my brother got going on them. We mostly ate them hot straight from the oven.

[Bugloss2009]

Are muffins generally made and eaten fairly quickly?

depends how nice they are  :)

apple and blackberry today I think

[pumkinlover]

Are muffins generally made and eaten fairly quickly?

depends how nice they are  :)

apple and blackberry today I think

Hmmm... Note to self-read posts before you post them! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[pumkinlover]

I will re-phrase my question!
Are muffins like scones- best eaten within a few days of making or even the same day :-[

[Jeannine]

No, they keep just fine, several days in the fridge, better than cup cakes as they are quite moist.

Try my banana one and you will see . so fast and easy. Just make sure you use VERY ripe banana

XX Jeannine

[realfood]

Muffins are quite different  from crumpets, in my view. Crumpets are often like very thick Scottish pancakes. I think of muffins being usually made with fresh fruit or vegetables, rather than with dried fruit, although you can use that as well if you like.
Because there is often big quantities of fresh fruit in them, and I do not use much sugar(for health), I need to keep them in the fridge for a few days, or I freeze for use later.
I have found it quicker and easier to make one large muffin(12"), and cut it up into slices once cool.

[Jeannine]

It seems we are still confusilng Engliash Muffins with US muffins... I put a pictures of the differences earlier in the post.

XX Jeannine

[pumkinlover]

I've just made Obbelix's raspberry and apricot jam muffins ( but using Gadget's delicious marrow and ginger jam)
anyway they are really nice.

Will work my way through the other recipes ;D

As for Nottsphil's English muffins - well I'd like to try them sometime too as fond memories of them for sunday tea :D

[Melbourne12]

It seems we are still confusilng Engliash Muffins with US muffins... I put a pictures of the differences earlier in the post.

XX Jeannine

Even the English get confused about English muffins.  There are the generic "English muffins" as illustrated in your picture, which are cooked on a griddle.  Then there are "Oven Bottom Muffins" aka Lancashire muffins, which are cooked in the oven.  These are a bit like a bagel, but lighter and with a dimple in the middle rather than a hole.

And there are, apparently, also Scarborough Muffins, but I've personally never encountered them.

I've never had much success with English muffins.  They always turn out tough and leathery for me.  Maybe I should become a convert to your delicious American banana muffins instead.  :)