Tuesday 6 November 2012

Buttermilk Crumb Muffins with Rum-Soaked Raisins : 'TWD : Baking with Julia'

Is anybody else wondering, where did 2012 go?!!? How have we already reached November, when I can clearly remember reading those cheesy newspaper horoscopes at the beginning of the year?? As a close friend wrote on Facebook the other day, "Even when it feels like nothing is happening . . . something is happening."
 
Anyhow, getting back to the post of the day. After a month of dealing with yeast, the 'TWD: Baking with Julia' group decided to go for something simple and easy. The choice for this fortnight is Buttermilk Crumb Muffins.


I really enjoy baking muffins. I see them as one of the easiest things to bake and with zillions of muffin recipes on the Web, there's a muffin to suit every occassion and every mood. So, I was intrigued to find out if the book could come up with something interesting, in terms of flavour, texture or technique. Unfortunately not!!


Reading the recipe, I felt a bit underwhelmed. It didn't seem to have anything to excite me enough to want to give it a shot. Don't get me wrong, you know me enough to know how much I enjoy a fuss-free recipe but this recipe just seemed a bit old school. I think it was the use of vegetable shortening that first got me all sceptical.

And as I said earlier, at a time when muffin recipes have gotten so interesting with the addition of fruits, spices, vegetables, dried fruits, oil and now gluten-free, these muffins just seemed to lack the necessary pizzazz. But considering how wrong I can be, more often than not, I thought I reserve judgement until I gave the recipe a shot.


Substituted the vegetable shortening with butter and to jazz up these muffins, I added a few tablespoons of rum-soaked raisins. The muffins turned out as the book said they would, "sweet, tender muffins with a light, open crumb", with a very subtle hit of the cinnamon and nutmeg. There is the addition of a crumb on top of each muffin, but am not sure if mine turned out looking as it should have. I would have preferred a more interesting streusel topping, if any!!


These are good, fuss-free, no-frills muffins, probably best made and consumed for breakfast. But my initial thought about them proved right. They just didn't excite me enough to put them in my folder of "keeper" recipes!! I like my muffins to have more depth of flavour. In this case, even the rum-soaked raisins didn't help!!

Due to copyright considerations, only the person hosting the recipe for the group 'TWD:Baking with Julia' can post the recipe on their blog. You will find the recipe for these muffins on Alisa's blog. Alternately, you can write to me at bakerindisguise@gmail.com and I will mail you the recipe. 
 

36 comments:

  1. It looks like yours came out beautifully. I have muffin jealousy.

    I think quite a few of us struggled with this one...

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    1. Thanks cher!! although isnt it strange how a muffin recipe should be the source of such disappointment with the book.. most of the recipes are such winners.. anyhow.. maybe its time to move on to the brownies!!

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  2. This were just like you describe them, plain and old fashioned, but I guess I liked their simplicity. Beautiful muffins and pics! Great job!

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    1. Thanks Paula!! My mum seemed to really like the simplicity of them.. I would have liked them to have a little more of something....

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  3. Well, I feel the need to stick with yeast breads, they are predictable! My muffins look like the Grand Canyon. I swallowed my pride and took a photo of them because no one would believe me otherwise! So even though boring yours are beautiful--count your blessings!

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    1. Really?!?! gosh.. heading over to see them!! something must have gone wrong.. like maye with the oven or the baking powder... and in my case.. i find yeast unpredictable.. haha.. so i guess everyone has a bad day in the kitchen once in a while!! :)

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  4. These look lovely. I love baking muffins too, they are very forgiving and I try all possible combinations with it. Buttermilk sounds like a nice addition. And yes, where did the year go ??

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    1. Tell me about it!!!.. I havent even had time to remember my resolutions!! :) I have made other muffin recipes with buttermilk/yoghurt and they make the cakes nice and moist!!

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  5. Your Buttermilk Crumb Muffins look wonderful and delicious and your photography is terrific, I love all the pictures and the idea to add rum soaked raisins sounds pretty delicious to me! Wonderful post!

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    1. Hey .. Thanks andrea.. you always have the kindest words!! much much appreciated!! :)

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  6. I totally agree with you about how fast these years go by.. Scary!!

    Sorry that you didn't like the recipe.. I enjoyed the simplicity of it, no complicated flavours, just delicately spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.. My crust on top was as promised, I used vegetable shortening though..

    I love your photographs.. Great light..

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    1. Ah.. so thats it... the shortening is what makes the difference in the crumb topping!! why i felt they lacked something.. my mom enjoyed the simplicity of them!!

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  7. I thought about adding something to these; rum-soaked raisins sound perfect. They were quite good on their own.
    Beautiful photos!

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    1. Thanks nicole!! the rum-soaked raisins were good.. and just remember to be generous with them!! :)

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  8. Wow I adore your pictures!! and you can never go wrong with rum soaked raisins :) :)

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  9. Oh, my...rum-soaked raisins? I love rum, so that sounds delicious (even though I'm not a fan of raisins!) Great photos!

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    1. Thank you.. well i really wanted to jazz them up.. and this was one of the simplest idea!! they were great although the muffins were okay!

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  10. Some recipes that does not seem fancy are the best.I love the taste and moistness that buttermilk give to cakes and muffins and you even added rum soaked raisins. How wonderful!

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    1. Thanks!! I see a lot of recipes I use on a regular basis use buttermilk.. and it makes a huge difference to the moistness factor of cakes!! I am usually a fan of simplicity.. but in this case i wanted something more!!

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  11. Rum-soaked raisins:) You have my undivided attention! Loved the pictures, esp. the second one with the topping whirling around in different patterns. Yeah, this recipe needs to be tweaked, I agree with you.

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    1. haha.. i'll admit the raisins were a spot of inspiration!! but the recipe needs more!!

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  12. I love your pictures you are a gem

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  13. I agree, they were okay, but not keepers. At least yours looks good!

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    1. I know Sara.. although i think its the bright cupcake liners that made the muffins look good!!

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  14. I've tried this recipe before and I absolutely love it! They turn out incredibly moist and the perfect treat with a cup of your morning coffee. Yours turned out lovely, S! I love those cute muffin liners you used and your pictures as usual are stunning.

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    1. Thanks A!! And i agree they do come out super-moist but if I had to make a batch tomorrow.. i wont make these.. i'd rather make one of the more exciting recipes from your muffin monday series!!! :))

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  15. I think your topping looks great. My topping just kind of melted into the muffin.

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  16. I genuinely feel a generous portion of rum would have solved the issue ;) if you had them for breakfast, the rest of the day would be perfect... lol

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    1. haha Gauri... the rum-raisins were good.. even the muffins.. nothing wrong with them.. but I would have still preferred something more!!

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  17. Your muffins made for beautiful photos! I added blueberries and still they were nothing to write home about.

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    1. Although if you ask me Cathleen, the muffin liners made for good photos rather than the muffins!!! :)) Not that they were bad mffins, they were good ..but could have been better..rather go back to other recipes!!

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  18. Aww bummer. The rum soaked raisins sounded like they would be a great addition. And yes, I have to agree the flavor was lacking, but I really enjoyed the texture. Man...the picture of the muffin with the exposed bottom liner looks flavorful! It makes me want to scrape it clean!

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    1. :))) Agree jen.. the texture was faultless.. beautifully moist too!! I think the muffin liners were the star of my photographs!! :)

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