Best Bran Muffins
This is a recipe I’ve been testing for years. I’ve varied many aspects and have tried butter, coconut oil, agave nectar, cane sugar, no spicing, spicing, different flours and fruits but I’ve finally decided that this is my best bran muffin. I hope you enjoy the recipe that follows. A cup of tea and a good muffin in the morning is a great way to savour it all.
Best Bran Muffins
2 cups boiling water
5 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups Natural bran
4 cups All-bran cereal – the original one with bran strands not flakes
½ cup wheat germ
½ cups sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds if you like
1 lb (2 cups) chopped dates
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1½ cup honey
4 eggs
1litre buttermilk
5 cups whole-wheat flour – make sure its fresh – keep it in the freezer if you don’t use it often
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1½ teaspoons salt
Boil the water and pour 2 cups into a large measuring cup.
Add the soda to the boiled water, stir (it should fizz) and set aside.
Place the natural bran, All-Bran, wheat germ, sunflower seeds and chopped dates in a very large bowl and pour the water and soda mix over it, stirring to moisten the ingredients evenly.
Cream the butter and honey together in the large bowl of an electric mixer and then beat in the eggs one by one, stopping to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl in between.
Combine the flour, cinnamon and salt and add it to the bowl of the mixer followed by the buttermilk and mix on a medium to low speed until just evenly distributed.
Pour the mixing bowl ingredients into the big bowl of bran and fruit and stir to distribute well.
Spray muffing tins with cooking spray and drop the batter to fill them.
Bake the muffins at 400°F for 20 – 25 minutes. They should be golden brown.
Cool on a rack.
Enjoy with tea or coffee.
Note: You can make 4 large dozen muffins immediately or you can keep the batter in the refrigerator for up to three weeks and make fresh from the oven muffins as you like in that time span. The muffins freeze well.
