Another muffin? When it comes to cooking and eating with little kids, it seems there is no limit to the number of muffins that you can make and enjoy together. When I received a MAYDAY email from my sister-in-law, Elizabeth, last week describing a cranberry surplus and a request for recipes that might help her out of the big red mountain she has sitting in her freezer, a muffin immediately seemed in order. (She also mentioned the words “cranberry curd“. More on that delight tomorrow).
This recipe was based on the Contessa’s recipe for Banana Bran Muffins. Usually the Contessa does not disappoint…in fact I venture that I’ve never before made a recipe that didn’t have me ohhhing and ahhhing over her simplicity, her elegance, and her utter deliciousness as a chef. The original recipe, though, needed a little something. With bran muffins, it’s so difficult to hit the right note. They are often sickly sweet and/or taste like a hunk of cardboard. Date puree not only adds some nutritious sweetness to these muffins, it also improves their texture. We used spelt flour from the Wild Hive Farm, but you can substitute pretty freely with your own flour mixture.
Bake these with your Yummy today and put a few aside so that you can make some cranberry curd to slather on them tomorrow.
Cran-Dates-Bran Muffins
*2 c. unprocessed wheat bran
*2 c. yogurt
*8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
*1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
*4 eggs, room temperature
*3/4 c. unsulfured molasses
*10 Medjool dates, pitted and pureed
*2 t. vanilla
*2 c. all purpose flour
*1 c. spelt flour
*1 1/2 t. baking powder
*1/2 t. baking soda
*1 t. salt
*8 oz. cranberries (fresh or frozen)
*1 c. walnuts, chopped
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Together: Line 36 muffins cups with muffins papers or grease them if you prefer.
Measure out all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and have your mini-chef give them a good whisk. In a medium bowl, combine the bran and the yogurt and set aside.
Now in another large bowl, or the bowl of your electric mixer, cream the butter and the brown sugar till it’s very fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating with each addition. Scrape down the bowl and add the molasses, date puree, and the vanilla, and beat till combined. Add the bran/yogurt mixture.
Now with the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions until just combined. Turn your mixer off and fold in the berries and the walnuts with a rubber spatula.
Fill each muffin cup (this recipe makes about 36 regular-sized muffins).
Big Person: Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the muffin. Cool on a wire rack.
