I love to cook, but I like to bake. I do not have a sweet tooth so the impetus to making something fabulous with butter and flour and sugar (and/or chocolate) does not fall on me regularly. Of course, I do bake for holidays and birthdays and special occasions but often these are made simply because they "fit". Not making Hamantaschen on Purim is out of the question. They are part of the story and the celebration and an integral part of the heritage I hope I am passing on to my children. I enjoy the process of making them, But truth be told, I only like the ones my mother makes.
However, I do like muffins and quick breads. Breakfast anytime.
One of the more challenging things about living in Israel is that what counts as a muffins here bears no resemblance to the American versions and even less like the Canadian ones. So I have resigned myself to fact that if I want a good, hearty and not too fancy muffin, I will have to make it myself.
Thankfully, my mother has provided me with ample recipes that she learned to bake when she was a girl on the prairies.
Now the problem is finding the ingredients!
BT's Prairie Bran Muffins
Ingredients:
2/3 cup (134 grams) brown sugar *
2 medium eggs
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (170 grams) yogurt or sour cream
1 cup commercial (85 grams) bran cereal**
1 1/2 cups (354 grams) raw wheat bran
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup (102 grams) hard winter wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (128 grams) raisins or 3/4 cup (96 grams) chopped dates
*If you want a smokier flavor use 1/2 cup (110 grams) brown sugar and 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
** If you cannot find commercial cereal use 1/2 cup (110 grams) wheat germ and 1/2 cup (110 grams psyllium)
Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl
Mix sugar, oil and eggs together
When mixed add yogurt/sour cream
Add dry ingredients and mix well
Add raisins/dates
Place cupcake papers in muffin tin
Pour batter into cupcake papers
Bake at 400 F. (200 C.) for 20 minutes
Enjoy! !בתיאבון
Comments