Thursday, 12 June 2014

Bran Muffins



 
Jam filled bran muffins

Bran Muffins Bake them at home to provide a fibre rich breakfast and on the go snacks choice for family

Baked products are notorious for being laden with sugar and fats, despite that we crave them and indulge eating them often. Plus children love them, however these treats when baked at home gives us an option to control the ingredients and portion sizes.



Wheat bran is an excellent source of dietary fiber aids in preventing:

 colon diseases (including cancer), stomach cancer, breast cancer, gallbladder disease, hemorrhoids and hiatal hernia. It is also used for treating constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.


These bran muffins are delicious! Very moist with a hint of sweetness, and the molasses give the muffins a great rich flavor.

Some of these are filled with jams, and fruit preserves, some with fresh chopped cherries, peaches and I left some plain. Filled Bran Muffins, contains a whopping amount of bran with some white flour.
Here goes a two very well tested and a healthier recipe options for baking and enjoying breakfast muffins. 


Bake it at home to provide a fibre rich breakfast and on the go snacks choice for family


1- Filled Bran Muffins:

 Ingredients 
 makes 12-14 regular size muffins of 24-30 small muffins

1 1/4 cups/55gms wheat bran (can go as much as 100gms)

1 cup/150gms white flour (maida/regular flour)

1/225ml cup buttermilk (add equal amount of yogurt and milk stir to mix them and leave for 10 min)

1/2 cup/157gms/117ml vegetable oil

3/4 cup/100gms brown sugar 

1 egg 

1 tablespoon molasses 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt 

fillings of your choice ½ tsp per muffin

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper muffin liners. 
2-In a small bowl, mix together the wheat bran and buttermilk. Set aside to soak until thickened, about 10 minutes.
3- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend together the brown sugar, vegetable oil, egg and molasses. 
4- Stir in the bran mixture. 
 5- Soft together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; 
6- Add in the batter until just moistened dont try to make a smooth paste. 
7-  Spoon batter into muffin cups, by fill it half and then placing the filling genrally no more then1/2 tsp and then top with rest of the batter the tins should be 3/4 filled. 
8-  Leave one of the tins empty and half fill it with water for even baking.
9- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or a tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Variations:
-        A mashed banana added to the bran/buttermilk mixture
-        add  any fruit jam or preserve to each muffin tin in between scoops of batter in each muffin tin or a fresh chopped apple for the raisins
-        add chopped fresh cherries or peaches between scoops
-        Increasing the amount of fibre wont effect the muffins, I went as high as 150gms.

  
Recipe-2

Raisin Bran Muffins 


Ingredients:


45gms plain flour (maida or chappati flour)
55 gms wholewheat flour
50gms  wheatbran
100gms brown sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 tsp salt
250ml Buttermilk
Juice of 1/2 medium sized lemon 
55gms Oil (canola, sunflower or any vegetable oil, or unsalted softened butter)
 1 egg
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions: Makes 
Makes 12 large muffins

- Preheat oven to 400F/200C and greese or line a muffin tray
-Sift all dry ingredients together
-Now add the bran and  raisins 
- cream the buttermilk, lemon juice, egg  and oil in a mixing bowl
-slowly stir in the dry mixture in the batter only untill everything is just mixed.
-Pour in prepared muffins tins/tray, leaving one cup half filled with water
-Bake 20-25 minutes on 400F/200C test  inserting a toothpick which comes out clean if completely cooked


Note: 

Good baking is all about accurate measures and the freshest of ingredients. 
Check out weight coversions .
I prefer using a digital weighing scale for accuracy and