It's a dark cloudy morning, perfect for muffin baking. I'm pretty much obsessed with muffins and quick breads, and bran muffins are my favorite, I think because the texture is so chewy and addicting. I'm always confused when every recipe I find starts off with some variation of "these are NOT your typical dry tasteless bran muffins!" because I have never eaten a dry tasteless bran muffin. I don't know, maybe I'm just lucky. If you've had an unfortunate encounter with one, please make this recipe so you can be converted to the way of the delicious bran muffin!
This recipe makes dense, chewy, sticky, delectable banana and walnut-studded muffins. (And as usual, they're pretty healthy.)
I found wheat bran in the bulk bins of my grocery store, and it was only 33 cents for 2 cups worth.
Banana Bran Muffins
(adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home, by Ina Garten)
Makes 18 muffins
Ingredients:
-2 cups buttermilk (the small carton)
-2 cups wheat bran
-1/3 cup canola oil
-1/3 cup brown sugar
-2 eggs
-2/3 cup molasses
-zest of one orange
-1 t. vanilla extract
-3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 t. baking powder
-1/2 t. baking soda
-1 t. salt
-2 bananas, chopped
-1 cup walnut pieces
Preheat oven to 350* and coat muffin tins with cooking spray or liners.
In a medium bowl mix the buttermilk and bran together and set aside.
In a large bowl mix the oil, brown sugar, eggs, molasses, zest, and vanilla.
Add the bran mixture to the wet ingredients.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and combine gently. Fold in the bananas and walnuts.
Fill muffin tins alllll the way.
Bake for 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the muffins feel solid and springy when you tap them.
Enjoy!
